


Empty Files (EXO)

by FayeValentine



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Historical, Angst, Baker Jongin, Bottom Kim Jongin | Kai, Childhood Friends, Drabbles, Every Kai Ship Ever, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Hybrids, Kai centric, Kai x Jongin, Landscaper Sehun, M/M, Mafia Sehun, Multiple AU, Omega Kim Jongin | Kai, Original Character(s), Romance, Short Stories, Twincest, Writer Jongin, cuteness, half written things, more tags to come
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2017-10-10
Packaged: 2018-09-10 14:54:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 86,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8921425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FayeValentine/pseuds/FayeValentine
Summary: This is all stuff that's taking up space on my laptop. Kai-centric, because one true bias exists :3
 
Ch. 24Title: Lose ControlPairing: LayKaiSummary: Jongin is the main choreographer for China’s new star, Lay. Unfortunately, the man seems intent on making Jongin give him after hour lessons, even though he doesn’t need it.
 
Ch. 25/26Title: Come On Baby, Light My FirePairing: Various (KrisKai ChanKai SeKai KaiSoo)Summary: It was a messy pentagon? No, a rhombus? Either way, Jongin feels like Sehun doesn’t see him as more than an employer, his ex-husband is still a confusing prick, and the delivery boy and the restaurant’s biggest food critic don’t know when to give up.





	1. [SeKai/ KrisKai] Castaway the Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This now has its own fic! 
> 
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/9047978/chapters/20586578
> 
> Check it out if this chapter is good enough :3

## Castaway the Heart

 

**Pairing: SeKai     KrisKai**

**Summary: Jongin and Sehun have a toxic marraige, but it wasn't always this way. When Sehun finally manages to get into his boss' good graces and wants to take Jongin on a business cruise with him, will he accept?**

**Notes: This was based off a Madonna movie I loved, yet hated for its sad ending. This was also my attempt at expanding my writing and incorporating real angst in one of my stories. (I never did make it to the island castaway part of the story this was named after, but I can be persuaded with comments :)**

 

 

The low din of the party was familiar. Jongin was used to it, he hated coming to these events, but his husband was not one to turn down a chance to flatter his bosses and weasel in a promotion.

“Ah, Sehun, it’s great to see you!” A large man greeted enthusiastically. His accented English was clipped and a little choppy; Jongin guessed he was German or something of the like. He clapped Sehun one the shoulder and Jongin fought to keep a straight face, Sehun looked like a disgruntled kitten.

“Likewise Mr. Monroe.” Sehun replied with less enthusiasm. His tone was polite and he managed to school his features into one of feigned interest.

“Please, just John is all right! We’re off duty now, no need for formalities,” He said as he sat down at a nearby table. The placard there had his name written in fancy script, though the seats around him had no such cards. ‘ _How quaint, he has a whole table to himself. It must be to compensate for the size of his beer gut._ ’ Jongin thought snidely, subtly adjusting his suit jacket.

Unfortunately, John caught onto the action and he turned to face Jongin with a slight leer in his eyes. “Oh? Who is this beauty?” He asked, taking in Jongin’s sleek black suit and the fitted pants that made his legs look miles long.

Sehun puffed up his chest and he put a possessive arm around Jongin, though it was only used to push him forward a little closer to his boss. “This is my dear husband, Oh Jongin.” He said, his eyes darting to John’s and noting the way he seemed to be undressing Jongin with his eyes. “He’s a little gem I picked up in Korea several years ago.” It was something he always said, although he seemed to forget that Jongin was the polite dancer who showed him his way to his hotel because he couldn’t speak a lick of his own language.

John licked his lips and Jongin suppressed the urge to shudder and gag. “So this one’s a real diamond in the rough, isn’t he?” The repulsive man asked and Jongin snapped.

“My name is  _Jongin_ , it would do you well to use it.” He spat, his eyes narrowing and a frown twisting his plump glossed lips. Sehun tensed at his side and he shot an accusatory look at Jongin as if to say  _are you crazy!? That’s my Boss you’re mouthing off to!_

Pursing his lips, Jongin lowered his eyes to the floor and he drew into himself. Sehun’s hand at the base of his back now felt more than restrictive. It didn’t always used to be this way….

However, John didn’t seem offended at all. In fact, the older man burst out into loud obnoxious laughter and he braced his hand on Jongin’s elbow, pulling him down and into the seat next to him. “You’re feisty Jongin, I like that. It’s a nice change from all the ‘yes men’ who tip toe around me.” He said with a smile that seemed genuine and though there remained a lascivious spark in his eyes, it was overshadowed by amusement.

Sehun tensed and his eyebrows furrowed, ‘ _It’s not like I want to be a yes man!_ ’ He thought in irritation, watching as his husband and his boss drew close.

Forgetting about Sehun, John turned his whole attention on Jongin. “So Jongin, what exactly do you think of the recent spikes in the stock market, should I hold out or sell all my stock?” He asked and Sehun frowned, taking a seat at Jongin’s side. He knew the answer to the question, it was one his boss asked him when they first met to gauge his competence.

Jongin smiled hesitantly, but when the waitress came by with glasses of champagne, he visibly relaxed and his smile softened. “I don’t know much about business and the like, but I do know a little something about dance.” He murmured, taking the glass and placing it at the edge of his lips to take an appreciative sip.

“Dance hmm? Would you mind elaborating?” John watched the action with rapt attention and Sehun scoffed at his husband’s side. He just knew that Jongin was playing up the sex appeal to his boss, he always did with any male or female who paid  _any_  attention to him.

Humming and putting down the delicate flute of bubbly golden liquid, Jongin smiled brightly and his eyes sparkled with intense passion. “Of course! I used to major in dance at Seoul National University. I studied everything from ballet and contemporary to urban hip hop.”

The waitress passed by again and Sehun quickly grabbed her attention. He was not willing to sit at a leisure company dinner sober if it meant he had to watch Jongin act like a sell piece.

“Really?” John asked, leaning into Jongin’s side and smoothly placing his hand on the back of his chair. “Would you like to give us a demonstration?”

Jongin shifted uncomfortably at the close proximity of the older man and he stole a look at his husband. Sehun was ignoring him, but he was chatting up the waitress with a flirty smile, a couple of empty champagne flutes placed neatly in front of him.

‘ _So we’re back to this stupid game, huh?_ ’ Jongin thought furiously. Deciding to screw his inhibitions, he downed the last of his drink and he turned back to Sehun’s boss with a reckless smile. “Why not?”

“Great!” John gleefully said, his elated expression making him look a little more amiable. He waved his hand in the air and his thick silver rings set with precious gems glinted in the low light of the restaurant. A waiter saw him waving and he walked over to the large business man.

“Sir, is there a problem?” He asked politely with slightly accented English. His hair was pushed back neatly and his suit was impeccably clean, although the collar of his shirt wasn’t buttoned all the way and he wasn’t wearing the red bow tie that the rest of the waiters did. All in all, he was devilishly handsome and he towered overhead, the type that Jongin used to fall for.

John waved his hand nonchalantly. “No, no, everything’s fine Kris. I just want the stage to be cleared, Jongin here will be putting on a performance and I want only the best of accommodations for him.”

The waiter, Kris, nodded and he walked away to carry out the order without sparing Jongin a single contemptuous glance. He eyes said all that he couldn’t out loud, and Jongin bristled.

‘ _What the hell is his problem?_ ’ Jongin thought with a huff, his temper flaring at the servant with an attitude. He didn’t appreciate the insinuation that he had to fuck a rich man to get the privilege of his own stage.

Clearing his throat, John turned back to Jongin with an excited look on his face. “I look forward to your dance, I’m very sure that it’ll be nothing short of breath taking.”

Jongin spared another glance at his husband, but he’d already taken the hand of the waitress and led her away from the table. A sharp pang of hurt flashed through Jongin, but he was so used to it by now that he welcomed the feeling with warm arms, taking comfort in the pain.

“I will be sure to surpass your expectations,” Jongin said with a twisted smile on his lips, his eyes glazing over as he stole John’s glass of champagne and downed the entire flute. The man raised a brow, but he didn’t say anything. Jongin didn’t care if he saw Sehun leave him at the party, nor did he care that he was drinking excessively at the moment. ‘ _Why the hell did I bother getting married?’_  He thought with a vague feeling of regret, but it was pushed aside with a rage that made him want to lash out, to not act like the perfect trophy husband for once. If Sehun could act like he wasn’t married, then so could he!

“Sir, the stage is ready.” Kris said in a low voice, startling Jongin and almost making him spit out his third glass of champagne, courtesy of the co-worker of the slutty waitress who took off with Sehun.

“Jongin, I believe it’s time,” John murmured, turning to Jongin and watching as he downed the last glass before standing.

Kris looked at the stack of glasses at the table and Jongin could feel the judgement rolling off him in near tangible waves. ‘ _Who the hell is this man to look down on me!?_ ’ Jongin thought, adjusting his jacket and pushing his hair off his forehead. He was flushed and warm and his anger and impatience made him feel ready to burst.

“ _Waiter_ , clear the table and prepare a Winston Cocktail, I’m sure my good husband can more than handle the tab.” Jongin said, ordering the most expensive drink he could think of to spite his asshole of a husband. If he was going to run off with a whore, he might as well pay for it with the money he’ll get from the promotion that John will give him. Jongin certainly wasn’t going to dance like some high class prostitute for nothing.

‘ _If this damn job means so much to him, I’ll give the bastard what he wants,_ ’ Jongin thought vindictively, walking past the gaping waiter and a surprised John. When he walked to the middle of the empty dance floor, people turned to watch him pass and low whispers of  _who is he?_  echoed in Jongin’s ears.

Ignoring them all, he ascended the steps leading to the middle of the stage. The live band in the corner gave each other confused looks, but they came to attention when Jongin snapped a few fingers at them. “Play something fast paced and smooth.” He ordered.

The leader of the band nodded and he turned back to the rest of the instrument players. He whispered out the name of a song and everyone scrambled into position. The lights dimmed in the restaurant, but the stage remained brightly lit and Jongin had to narrow his eyes and squint a bit just to be able to see beyond the spotlight aimed at him.

Immediately, trumpets blared in quick succession, followed by the beat of drums, a smooth sax piping in here and there and quickening the pace of the entire song. Jazz, and it was something that made Jongin feel challenged, so the dancer quickly began to move in a complicated set of steps, his body following along and bringing him to the pace of the song.

 He danced out his anger, his expressions following his emotions as memories of Sehun flitted through his mind. There was a time when things were beautiful, comfortable, and easy. Jongin didn’t have to try so hard to stay pretty and youthful, and Sehun never used to care that he didn’t act high class

The bass notes increased in speed and Jongin tore off his jacket and shoved his hair back to move more freely, twirling with the music and moving his hips to the beat while his feet never stopped moving.

Sehun used to come home at a reasonable hour, he used to bring flowers and little gifts that made him think of Jongin while he was away. Jongin used to cook dinner and wait by the door patiently for him to come home, then he started staying out later and eventually he wouldn’t come back until the dead of night and Jongin soon quit waiting.

Sweat dripped down the side of Jongin’s temple and when he whipped his hair out of his face, exposing the long column of his throat, the waiter and the business man watched with rapt attention. He had the entire attention of the room as he danced out his anger, his hurt, and his hope. _No_ one dared to speak and more than a few people in the audience now had more than a spark of admiration lighting up their eyes.

The music escalated into a loud crescendo and Jongin’s movements became faster and more frantic, until he remembered nothing of his husband or the room of people watching his every move. With one last flourished spin, the music reached an end and Jongin stopped moving, falling into a breathless bow, the adrenaline of the dance and the exhilaration of the music still thrumming through his blood.

A hush fell around the room and Jongin could hear the rush of his heartbeats echoing in his ears. Tentatively, he stood from his bow and he felt a flush work its way onto his cheeks, eventually staining his neck and making the honeyed skin gleam like rose gold.

Star struck dark eyes met his and Jongin watched as Kris gulped, his brown eyes darkening to a black. However, instead of feeling shame for being caught staring, Kris narrowed his eyes and his lips formed a scowl. Jongin read his expression and found annoyance, yet the darkness of his eyes held a gleam of something that hinted close to lust.

“Bravo!” John shouted as he clapped energetically, interrupting Jongin’s train of thought and forcing him to tear his eyes away from the waiter who looked down on him.

Whistles and applause soon followed from everyone in the room and Jongin was brought back into the moment. He was standing on a stage, panting and flushed from letting out his bottled up emotions, he was on display for everyone and instead of shying away self-consciously, Jongin shot the crowd a confident smirk. He made sure that Kris received the brunt of it and he felt satisfaction when the waiter’s jaw clenched and he stormed back to the kitchens.

_‘Serves him right, judgmental bastard!_ ’ Jongin thought smugly as he descended from the stage and made his way back to John’s side. The man wasn’t the best of company, but he at least paid for a celebratory round of drinks that had Jongin reeling through the night, thoughts of dark eyes and Sehun drifting away along with his pain.

 

 

 ♡ 

 

 

The next morning was brutal and Jongin awoke in his hotel suit to an empty bed. Sunlight peeked through the shut curtains and a ray managed to hit him right in the eyes, forcing him to squint in an effort to not be blinded by the light.

‘ _I shouldn’t even be surprised anymore,_ ’ He thought, sighing when he rolled over to cool sheets on the other side of the bed. Sehun was either long gone, or he didn’t come back to the room the night before.

Memories of the last night whirled in his mind and gave him a headache that did nothing to help his hangover. Over all he felt the need to leave, to go somewhere new and start over—with or without Sehun. Jongin had spent nearly six years married to him, not counting the three years he dated him in Seoul. It was time for a change, he was tired of the way things were as it was, and instead of putting up with it for another minute, he wanted to end it all.

_‘Maybe…I could even start to dance again…_ ’ He thought, his eyes shut as fantasy images of a stage and softly composed classical music played in the back. He could imagine the movements, the perfection of ballet and the art found in movement. He missed it, and it was the one of the main things that Jongin regretted giving up for Sehun.

 A soft click of the locked door opening had Jongin sitting upright in surprise.

Dressed impecceably, Sehun strolled into the room with all the confidence of a man with money to spare. His handsome face was impassive and Jongin could barely read his mood through his eyes. He appeared to be calm, though satisfied and the memory of him leaving with someone else yesterday had Jongin feeling more worked up than he has in a long time.

“Where did you go last night?” Jongin asked in a low tone, his voice a waring.

Stopping in front of the vanity in the room, Sehun turned his back to Jongin and he took a few moments to adjust his hair. “I thought you didn’t notice, you seemed more than content in the company of Mr. Monroe last night.”

Bristling, Jongin fisted his hands in the sheets pooled around his waist. “Well you were wrong. Anyone would notice their husband leaving a company party with a cheap thrill.”

Sehun remained clam, but Jongin saw his hands clench and unclench at his sides. “That may be, however I was  _more_  than polite enough to copulate within a private setting.”

“I did nothing!” Jongin shouted back, his face turning red with anger as he spat his words. “And who are you to fucking claim decency!? You left me at  _your_  party for some whore, as if I were no more than an acquaintance to you! No  _real_  husband would pull shit like that!”

Whirling around, Sehun stalked his way to the edge of the bed with short, angry steps. He stopped right at Jongin’s side and he leaned down closer to his husband in an unconsciously intimidating manner. “You’re right, no real husband would dare to even look at someone else while their spouse is sitting next to them, yet you seem to think you’re some  _angel_. I saw you making a pass at my boss!” He shouted back, his eyes blazing and his words no more than a growl. “Is it the money that thrills you!? Or do you enjoy  _fucking_  men with power in general?”

Jongin gasped at that, but he grit his teeth and before he could even think about it, his hand shot forth and he slapped Sehun right across the cheek. The force of it turned his head to the right and a red mark immediately bloomed across his pale cheek.

Shock flooded Sehun’s features and it was more emotion he’d shown the past week, aside from anger and apathy.

“I am _nothing_ like you, so don’t you ever think for a minute that I ever went back on my vows,” Jongin seethed, though tears pricked at the corner of his eyes. He felt a whirl of hot emotions, all stemming in his chest and it burned his heart more than anything.

Sehun glared at him and he drew away from Jongin. The ex-dancer tensed and he watched with baited breath as Sehun steadfastly made his way to the hotel door. With one last look at his heaving husband, Sehun shut the door behind him and left the room.

The echo of the shutting door remained in Jongin’s ears and the sound bounced around in his head to the beat of his pounding migraine. The frustrated tears finally fell and Jongin angrily swiped at them.

_‘No matter what I say, that hard headed ass thinks that I’m some adulterer!’_ The thought made him angrier and more tears slipped out of his eyes. Jongin remained devoted and yet somewhere along the way, Sehun lost trust in him and that made needles of pain stab through Jongin’s heart. He didn’t deserve his husband’s suspicion, but there was nothing more he could do to convince him.

“I  _hate_  this thing!” Jongin growled, staring accusingly at the ring on his left finger. It was a thin gold band with a single diamond set in the center. It was tiny and delicate and it was bought in a time when Sehun could barely afford anything, back when he just finished college and wanted to promise Jongin a future he was sure would be filled with endless love.

Thinking that he had enough of marriage, Jongin grasped the ring with his fingertips and he pulled with all the strength he could muster. The gold band slipped as far along as his knuckle, but no matter how hard Jongin yanked on it, the ring refused to come off.

Sighing, Jongin finally gave up. With a small sniffle, he slumped in bed and he stared mournfully at the delicate piece of warped metal. It used to instill a sense of pride and fondness within him, and even after Sehun bought him a new wedding ring more resplendent and expensive than his first one, Jongin couldn’t quite give it up.

Now he’d like nothing more than to remove it, yet it stayed on his hand like a shackle that restricted his freedom. 

_‘I’m never going to escape from this, am I?_ ’ He asked no one in particular. Only the sound of the clock ticking away the hours of his life responded and loneliness and despair wrapped around Jongin like an old friend.

 

 

 ♡ 

 

 

The hustle and bustle of the bar within the hotel was distracting. It was exactly what Jongin needed, even though it was barely past two in the afternoon, he was ready to get a head start on the night’s drinking.

Strolling languidly into the bar, people turned to stare at him and Jongin relished in the attention. He sent flirty winks out and smirks to accompany his swaying hips, knowing full well that his clothing wasn’t decent enough for his high class husband. But Sehun wasn’t around and he had no more control of his life, Jongin was ready to live and he wasn’t going to let his estranged husband indirectly control his actions any longer. He was tired of trying to please such a cold and apathetic man anyway.

Sitting at the bar and taking a stool near the dance floor, Jongin ordered up as shot of tequila. It tasted cheap and the sharp tang of the lime and the strong flavor of salt couldn’t chase it away. Jongin relished it, it reminded him of days when he spent free weekends with old friends, hitting up bars and scamming free drinks off people looking for more than a little fun with the dancers of SNU.

“What the fuck!” A loud voice shouted from behind Jongin. Curious, he turned around and he saw a man furiously shouting and wiping at his suit sleeve. “Watch where the hell you’re going you clumsy chink! This suit cost more than your entire fucking yearly salary!”

The tall waiter who ran into the screaming man looked familiar and it wasn’t until a deep voice spoke that Jongin recognized him as Kris. Briefly, Jongin wondered if he had two jobs, that would explain the appearance in the hotel and the restaurant the night before, but Jongin couldn’t imagine why someone would deliberately choose to work more than eight hours a day. Waiting tables and serving disgruntled customers hardly seemed like a career that deserved so much devotion.

Kris bowed and the action seemed to startle the shouting American, he was most likely a tourist and was more than unused to Asian customs. “Sorry sir, I’ll be sure to compensate the cleaning fee-”

“Like hell you will!” The man shouted as he eyed Kris up and down crudely. “You look more depraved and destitute than my maid, I want to speak to a manager. You deserve to be fired for this!”

Kris tensed and Jongin wondered why the thought of getting fired bothered him more than the racial slur the man used earlier. ‘ _Then again, he does look shabbier than he did last night…_ ’ Jongin thought. In the low light of the restaurant, and with the help of a couple of drinks, Kris had at least appeared professional. Now he was donning a worn out pair of jeans and an old black shirt that had faded with time. His uniform apron covered up most of it, but it didn’t entirely help him look any less poor.

“Sir! Please don’t do that, I promise I can afford the fee!” Kris begged, the broad line of his shoulders curling back in repressed pride. Kris wasn’t the type to beg Jongin assumed.

“ _No_. Call in your boss, you will not spend another second in this hotel! My family is a very respected patron here and our business is more important than some broken English speaking  _immigrant_ ,” The man sneered, his blue eyes narrowing in a glare that made Jongin want to punch him because the look reminded him of Sehun.

When Kris didn’t move fast enough for his tastes, the man stomped out of the bar and he stopped at the front desk. He complained very loudly and Kris was forced to follow the obnoxious man out. Losing sight of the pair, Jongin turned back to the bar and ordered another shot. This time, he made sure to tell the bar tender to keep them coming, opening up a new tab that Sehun would silently seethe about but pay for nonetheless.

“Shame Kris was fired, he worked pretty hard for the meager pay they got here.” The chatty bar tender said once the shouting in the front of the hotel quieted. Kris had appeared in the bar again, ashen faced and furious as he handed in his apron, gathered the last of his pay, and left for good.

Jongin didn’t bother to make eye contact, he didn’t know Kris and he personally just wanted another drink, but his tab was steadily growing more expensive and he figured the bar tender would be more open to handing out free drinks if he pretended to listen.

“It’s unfair that a rich brat like that can just stroll in and make a man lose everything he’d worked for.” The bartender continued as he meticulously dried a wet glass.

‘ _I’d bet they all love to talk about us high class bastards behind our backs,_ ’ Jongin thought wryly as the hotel employee continued his rant about inequality and injustice, seemingly ignoring the fact that it was severely unprofessional to gossip about a respected hotel patron. Before he met Sehun, Jongin would have been joining in and complaining about the rich guys who came to the dance studio he worked at and tried to buy him and his friends for a night or get them to sign a contract that would screw them over completely.

 

 

  ~~♡~~

 

 

Sehun didn’t come back for another night and Jongin woke up with the fourth straight hangover he’d had within the week. His drinking was steadily growing out of control, but Jongin found himself liking the cycle of the bottle. He’d feel bad, then good, then he’d forget everything for a while and pass out. The next afternoon he’d wake up with a hangover that he drank again to get rid of. It was also nice that Sehun was forced to pay for everything, it made Jongin feel vindicated.

But this morning topped Jongin’s list of shitty mornings and he rushed to the bathroom, falling to the floor because his leg had fallen asleep in the weird position he’d slept in. Groaning, Jongin practically crawled to the bathroom and hugged the rim of the toilet to throw up the contents of his stomach, only nothing but clear liquid came up and Jongin vaguely registered the fact that he hadn’t eaten within two days.

_‘Oh well, it’s not like anyone gives a damn,’_  Jongin thought bitterly when he finally finished heaving. He sat back against the tub and wiped his mouth once he was tone flushing the toilet. Sehun sure as hell doesn’t care what Jongin does, and aside from getting angry at what he perceived as Jongin’s infidelity, he remained cold and distant. _‘Bastard probably wants me to drink myself to death, he pays for all the damn liquor without so much as a batted eye!’_

The last thought had Jongin frowning and vowing to at least get his drinking narrowed back down to every other day.

Standing up, Jongin didn’t bother closing the bathroom door as he stripped down to nothing and started the shower, jumping under the cold spray before it had a chance to warm up. He was strong enough to exercise self-control, he wasn’t about to let Sehun get what he wanted. In fact, he was going to demand a divorce and then he was going to-

“Jongin?” A deep voice called and he tensed under the spray of now hot water. Sehun was back and he was stuck in the shower.

Footsteps muffled by carpet sounded in the room and Jongin could hear Sehun stop at the doorway of the bathroom. Deciding that Sehun must have come back for something, Jongin went back to lathering shampoo into his thick dark hair. “What?” He grumbled, closing his eyes and defiantly going back to his shower.

Sehun cleared his throat and Jongin could feel a pair of eyes on him. The glass door of the shower was waved and it distorted his figure so that he at least had some privacy, but Sehun was making him feel so exposed and vulnerable.

“I just wanted to talk.” Sehun finally said, his voice a little rough and Jongin could imagine the disheveled state of his hair. After an argument, he always went out to find someone to bed and he made it a point to come back with the evidence still lingering. It made Jongin clench his teeth and inwardly regret ever uttering vows of devotion to the bastard who easily threw them away the fourth year into their marriage.

“There’s nothing to talk about. I want  _nothing_  to do with you.” Jongin spat out, rinsing the shampoo from his hair and moving onto conditioning.

Sehun shuffled into the room and he shut the bathroom door behind him. “I do not believe that this cannot be fixed, we’ve gone through worse before.”

He meant the time that Sehun slipped up and Jongin actually caught him in the act. It stung, but what made it worse was the fact that it was in  _their_  bed, in  _their_  home, and it occurred while Jongin was out buying an apology present for his husband because he was in the wrong for deliberately flirting with another man to make Sehun jealous. Well he got Jongin back tenfold and it was the first of many disappointments and heart breaks that Jongin experienced while being married to his first love.  

Just the memory made Jongin scowl and yank the fluffy pink loofa off the shower head to put soap on and wash his body with. “If you think bringing up worse times is going to make this better, you’re dead wrong because it’s fucking pissing me off instead.” The cloyingly sweet smell of sugar and fruit permeated the bathroom and Jongin cursed himself for falling into the habit of buying things that pleased Sehun. He loved sweet smells on his lovers and Jongin used to be proud to of the ability to make his husband jump him with nothing more than a flutter of his lashes and the use of scented soaps and lotions.

Now it made him sick to think that he once wanted to please him at all.

Sehun sighed heavily and through the thick pane of glass, Jongin could see that he was leaning against the side of the sink with his hands braced behind him. The pose spoke nothing but nonchalance but the slope of his broad shoulders clued Jongin into the fact that Sehun was tired. Maybe as tired as he was.

“I know, that’s not what I was trying to say…” He awkwardly began. Jongin wanted to ignore him, he really did, but Sehun sounded weary and frustrated and those were emotions that Jongin could more than sympathize with. “I got a promotion today.” He finally said and Jongin bitterly smiled to himself. ‘ _Of course, that’s the only reason he wants to speak to me. His job trumps all in life, second only to his fucking dick._ ’ He thought as he scrubbed his skin raw with the loofa, throwing it to the side of the shower tub before he flung himself under the spray of the shower.

“Mr. Monroe said that he enjoyed his time with you and he invited us to join him on a cruise to the southern tip of Africa. It will take no more than four weeks and if I manage to impress him, I’m sure he’ll make me the overseer of his business transactions between the two countries.” Sehun could speak English as well as German and a multitude of other European languages, but the thought of him learning to speak the language of some complicated third world country made Jongin burst out into loud guffaws of laughter.

“So you want to move to Africa for your job? Are you going to blend in with the locals and don a loincloth as well?” Jongin scoffed, moving out from under the spray and reaching for his toothbrush and tooth paste. “Hell, I’d bet if  _John_  asked you to, you’d do it with a smile on your face.”

Sehun was probably angry and Jongin could imagine his knuckles turning white as he clutched the edge of the counter. ‘ _Good, let him be angry, he needs to feel something other than an orgasm once in a blue moon._ ’ He thought as he squeezed a bit of toothpaste onto his travel tooth brush. He wanted nothing more than to leave the hotel and go back to the only semblance of a home he had—the pretty little house he shared with Sehun in their upper class neighborhood, surrounded by families with children that mocked Jongin with their happiness and fake perfection. At least there he’d have a liquor cabinet stocked full of his favorite drinks.

“I realize that you haven’t been happy in years,” Sehun said and Jongin snorted. “However, I am asking for this one favor, you don’t even have to move out of our home in America. Some space would help, and as they say, absence makes the heart grow stronger.”

Jongin nearly spat out his toothbrush at that load of bullshit. Sehun would just use the distance to fuck around some more, only this time he wouldn’t have to face his nonexistent conscience with Jongin not around to point an accusatory finger at him.

“You don’t believe that.” Jongin finally answered in harsh tone. “You don’t believe in anything, and you sure as hell don’t’ trust me. In fact, you’d rather spend your days out and about, and your nights away from me! If ‘ _distance makes the heart grow stronger_ ,’ then mine must be made of fucking diamonds and Orachalcum.” He rinsed his mouth and shut off the water with a simple flick of his wrist.

Sliding the shower door aside with a bang, Jongin stepped into the bathroom and shamelessly stood before Sehun. His husband’s eyes roamed his body freely, but Jongin ignored him and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around his waist as he made his way to the door, but before he could so much as touch it, Sehun’s arm darted out and his hand shoved against the heavy wood. He was keeping Jongin from pulling it open and leaving to get dressed.

Frustrated, Jongin whirled around and glared up at his  _beloved_  husband. “Why are you-”

Moist pink lips crashed against his own and Jongin froze in surprise, expecting anything but  _that_. Ignoring his unresponsiveness, Sehun pressed closer to him and the hand not trapping the door shut slid own Jongin’s side and gripped a fistful of towel.

Heat flooded Jongin’s senses and he unconsciously melted into Sehun, his lips tentatively responding to the familiar press of Sehun’s lips against his own. It’s been a long time since they’d been this close and it was making Jongin weak in the knees.

Pulling away from Jongin, Sehun rested his forehead against his husbands, his dark eyes looking into his eyes with a swirl of undecipherable emotions in them. “Jongin, I miss you…” He murmured, his tone low and throaty enough to make Jongin’s body shiver in anticipation. He remembered all the things his voice did to his heart and Jongin knew that he wouldn’t be able to fight Sehun off for long, especially since it’s been a while since he was touched or looked at with more than plain acknowledgement from Sehun.

Not waiting for more of a response, Sehun leaned forward again and he licked into Jongin’s mouth with a practiced ease, not having forgotten the sensation of his husband’s lips or the exact techniques that made Jongin whine with need.

However, when Sehun insistently pulled at the towel in his grasp and made it slip low over his hips, Jongin pressed a firm hand against Sehun’s chest and he mustered all the strength he had to push his husband back. Surprised, Sehun flew back few steps and he stared at Jongin with shock painting his handsome features.

Heaving, Jongin raised a shaky hand to his lips and with the back of his hand, he wiped his mouth. Sehun scowled at the action, but the harsh light of the bathroom brought out the red marks scattered across the bottom of jaw. It decorated the expanse of his neck and where his shirt was unbuttoned, Jongin could see the continued hints of magenta colored  _love_   _bites_ on his chest. He clenched his fists and he was glad that Sehun didn’t bother to hide them, it made turning him away all the more easy.

“I’m not letting you touch me after you fucked some random whore! In fact you  _stink_ , their cheap perfume is giving me a headache.” Jongin spat with a glare. Not waiting for a response, He opened the door to the bathroom and shut it behind him with a slam that made the doorframe shake.

 

 

~~♡~~

 

 

Even though it was early spring at the moment, the streets were chilly and it made Jongin wish that he dried his hair before he threw on whatever was in his closet and left the hotel. Insulting Sehun and then storming out had felt good and more liberating than anything, but it would be damn counterproductive if he went back to the hotel to grab a light jacket.

So Jongin stubbornly kept walking down the street of the little port town that bordered the eastern edge of America. Sehun had dragged him halfway across the continent for the business dinner that he ditched him at, which was another reason for Jongin to justify hating his husband. He had a long list by now, but his stupid heart clung to the last remnants of the Sehun that would do cliché romantic things and blush as he shared them with Jongin. He remembered the time that Sehun brought him out to dinner and had a friend play the guitar at their table while he sang a rough acapella version of Jongin’s favorite song, blushing harder than a tomato the entire time.

He felt sorry now for how naïve he used to be, and for how jaded he was now. Jongin used to live everyday just to see Sehun smile or let out a rare laugh, or simply look at him with warmth and love in his eyes.

Disgusted by his train of thought, Jongin shook them off and he entered a random restaurant for a very late lunch. He needed to eat if he was going to stop drinking, and though he craved the loss of control or inhibitions that liquor brought, he was already reeling from Sehun’s stupid kiss and he was more than ready to wash the taste of him out with something savory.

Greeting the hostess inside, Jongin was politely led to a private table set up for two. And Jongin couldn’t think of anything more pathetic than sitting at a table all alone while his husband was back doing god knows what with who knows who.

Nonetheless, he sat down and he scanned the menu. Something about the restaurant was vaguely familiar, but Jongin brushed off the feeling and he memorized his order, consisting of the most expensive things he could find. Luckily he’d had the right state of mind to grab Sehun’s wallet. He still couldn’t decide whether it was a good thing or not that he forgot his own I.D. at the hotel room. But if he knew anything about Sehun, it was that he was responsible enough to take care of Jongin’s stuff without throwing it out, especially if they were staying at a hotel full of his co-workers and business associates. If anything, the bastard would rent the room for another night for Jongin while he stayed out.

At that, Jongin scoffed,  _‘Right, like he has any choice but to stay now that I have his wallet.’_

“Good afternoon, my name is Kris and I’ll be your server for today, are you ready to order, sir?” A deep voice interrupted and Jongin looked up in surprise. He stared wide eyed at the familiar waiter and Kris did likewise, though he managed to school his expression back into one of feigned politeness. His eyes however, still pissed Jongin off.

“Well, if it isn’t the unfortunate  _waiter_  who was fired the other day,” Jongin purred smoothly. Kris looked disgusted, but Jongin could see the undercurrent of lust. He’d seen it the other day at the dinner after Sehun left, but Kris’ eyes still held disdain. Jongin didn’t care, he was tired of people assuming he was a slut when he wasn’t, but if that’s what they expected then he could play up to their perception of him.  _‘Might as well, it’s not like I have anything to lose anyhow, Sehun already thinks I sleep around behind his back. If my own husband doesn’t believe me, then no one else will.’_

“Seems we meet again, dancer. Does your husband know you’re out without your  _sponsor_?” Kris asked, his eyes darting to the ring still on Jongin’s left hand.

Smirking, Jongin looked up at the handsome waiter and he fluttered his eyelashes in a coy way. “Waiter, I will have the chef’s best Filet Mignon with the Crème Brule desert. I also want the most aged wine you have here.” He said rapidly. He would have ordered a full course meal, but Sehun killed him by not only chasing pretty, slim women, he also went after willow boys with feminine faces. In fact, everyone he brought to his bed was the opposite of Jongin, they all had blonde hair and pale skin, and eyes that had a round innocence to them. Jongin had only been able to pull that off in his youth, but now that he was a little more mature he assumed he symbolized sex more than anything else.

“Yes sir, will that be all?” Kris asked, his eyes narrowing faintly at Jongin for speaking a bit fast in a language he was still getting the hang of.

Jongin tilted his head and rested a finger on his lips, a mock pensive expression on his face. “Hmm…” He hummed, taking his time and counting down the seconds. Kris began to fidget around three minutes of silence and he knew that he was running the waiter’s patience thin. It gave him some satisfaction that someone else felt ready to lose their mind aside from him.

“Nope, I believe that will be all.” Jongin finally answered, taking glee in the angry set of Kris’ jaw. When feeling strong emotion, Jongin noticed that Kris’ eyes changed from a deep brown to a black that rivaled the night sky on the country side.

“Then if you’ll excuse me,” Kris said, bowing stiffly, “I’ll place your order right away.” He had no intention of doing so, yet Jongin didn’t know that. In fact, the man smiled at him triumphantly and sent him off with a condescending smile and a wave of his hand. ‘ _Tch!_   _Rich prostitute is lucky I need this job…_ ’ Kris thought in irritation as he stormed off to the back of the restaurant.

Smiling in genuine amusement, Jongin turned back to his table, but the emptiness of the other seat mocked him. Feeling his jovial mood fade away faster than he could even register it, he sighed and decided to look through Sehun’s wallet.

Not surprisingly, he had his I.D. and his credit cards neatly filed away. Flipping the leather contraption to its side, Jongin opened the wallet back up and inside the slit was a thick fan of cash. Whistling lowly, Jongin began counting the money for entertainment.

That only took up ten minutes of his time and neither his food nor his wine had made an appearance. Impatiently, Jongin flipped his husband’s leather wallet open and closed and he mumbled faint curses under his breath. That insolent waiter was taking forever on purpose! Jongin knew for a fact that the kitchen wasn’t too busy because the restaurant had yet to receive their dinner rush, and the few patrons who came in after he did were happily chatting away and eating.

Growling in frustration, Jongin flicked his wrist again, expecting the snap of the wallet shutting again, but instead the leather thing flew right out of his hand and fell to the floor behind his seat. Seething, Jongin stood up and crouched to reach it while ignoring the curious glances sent his way, but he paused when he saw something white flutter to the ground alongside the brown wallet.

Tentatively, Jongin picked up the piece of paper and he read the scrawling handwriting of his husband. It was a single line broken in two words.  _Lu Han_.

Feeling dread, Jongin took a shaky breath and he steeled his heart. There was nothing that Sehun could do now that would surprise Jongin, though he hoped that his instincts weren’t right and that Sehun hadn’t dropped so low...

_‘One, two, three—!_ ’ Jongin flipped the photo and he wished he didn’t.

It was a simple picture, but it was a portrait of a face that Jongin knew well. It was the face of the Chinese dancer who stole his part after he helped him learn Korean. His old rival was the exact opposite of Jongin and the ex-dancer had to mentally congratulate his husband. He was low despite how high class he liked to pretend he was, and after two years of hurt, he managed to break Jongin’s heart again. Only this time, it felt like Sehun had ripped it to pieces, shredded it, and then returned it to him with a fucking  _smile_.

“Sir, are you okay?” A gruff voice asked and Jongin looked up to see Kris looking down at him without a scowl in place. He must have been teary because Kris did look kind of panicked and Jongin let a small, hiccupy laugh out. The look matched the one Sehun had when Jongin cried over his lost part.

With a smile on his lips, Jongin blinked away his tears before he could break out in sobs and he collected the wallet and the picture and he sat back in his chair. “I’m fine, more than fine in fact.” He said blankly.

His mind was in chaos and his heart was inwardly writhing in pain, but he laughed and he smirked back up at the waiter, not caring if he looked crazed. “ _Waiter_ , where is my wine? And my food? Is it a custom of this restaurant to keep paying customers waiting for longer than necessary?”

Any sympathy Kris had disappeared immediately and he bristled at the tone that Jongin used to address him. “No sir, I just came to tell you that your order will be ready within moments. The restaurant apologizes for the delay.”

Jongin waved him off again, his hand braced under his chin as his glazed out eyes stared at a blank spot on the wall across the room. “I don’t need useless apologies from anyone, much less a restaurant with shit service and disgruntled waiters.”

Kris nodded and despite how much he wanted to make Jongin eat his insults, he bowed politely and left the dining area again to vent to the chef, if he was lucky the old man would let him spit in the food before he served it to the prissy trophy wife sitting at a table in his area.

Hearing the waiter leave again, Jongin looked back down at the wallet and the picture set on the table next to it. Lu Han’s pretty face and sparkling, lively eyes cut him deep and the smile with perfect little white teeth had him feeling a pain that he couldn’t cover up with anger this time.

‘ _How long had this been in his wallet?’_  He asked himself, fighting off the tears in his eyes because he didn’t know that Sehun had gotten rid of the photo they took together on their first date and replaced it with  _him_. That single question had his mind letting a flood of more questions filling his mind and making it hard for himself to even think properly.

 

_‘When did it begin!?’_

 

_‘How didn’t I notice?’_

 

_‘Does he love him?’_

 

_‘Am I really that hard to be married to?’_

 

_‘Does he loathe me?’_

 

_‘Is it because he can’t stand me that he turned to a better alternative?’_

 

_‘Was this around the time he went on a business trip to Seoul after we married?’_

 

_‘He was gone for two long months.’_

 

_‘He doesn’t seek me out at night anymore.’_

 

_‘He likes delicate pretty things.’_

 

_‘I’m not like that! Why!?’_

 

_‘Why—?’_

 

A single tear slipped out while Jongin was thinking and he wiped it away quickly. ‘ _Why did I get married…’_

Jongin was pretty young when he got married, but Sehun was a year younger and it made him feel blessed that a young ambitious man who was obviously going places wanted him. Now, he felt old in comparison to his husband and the delicate little things he knew that Sehun took to bed.

Sighing, Jongin downed the glass of wine in one long swig. It was smooth and sweet, but the heady favor still had the burning quality of alcohol and that was all that Jongin needed at the moment. Forgetting his silent vow to cut back on drinking, Jongin flagged down a waiter who wasn’t Kris and he demanded an endless stream of drinks and by the time his food came by, he wasn’t hungry. That set his tall waiter off more than anything Jongin had pulled since he got to the restaurant.

“What do you mean you want me to take it back!?” He growled. Jongin blinked at him blearily and he let out a set of giggles. Kris looked ridiculous with his hands full of a large tray, a single plate set in the middle of it. It would have looked better if he just carried the plate, but as it was, the huge silver tray was held with both hands.

“Are you drunk right now?” Kris hissed and he looked flustered that a customer was laughing at him, but he slammed the tray and the order of Filet Mignon in front of Jongin.

“Yes!” Jongin answered with glazed eyes. “Feels gooood, No  _Sehunnie_  at all!” He hummed and he hugged the entire bottle of wine to his chest. The waiter relaying his drinks eventually got fed up and just gave him the entire bottle. Jongin had latched onto it and never let go since.

Kris groaned in frustration and he raked a hand through his thick dark hair. Why did he get stuck with the drunk patron in the middle of the evening?

“Why’s he so mean? Sehunnie, Jonginnie h-hatesss you!” Jongin whined and he hiccupped at the end and Kris panicked at the sight of tears glinting in the corner of his eyes.

_‘What is with him? He cries so easily in public!_ ’ Kris thought to himself, wondering where the cold bitch with a spine made of steel went. The man sitting before him now was unbelievably childlike and dare he say it— _cute_.

“You—!” Jongin pointed at Kris suddenly, sitting up in his chair and getting up out of his slumped position. “Krissy, you _prissy_!” He glared for a few seconds before his words caught up with his mind and he began laughing.

Whispers reached Kris’ ears and he felt his face heat up. He didn’t dare to look at the other patrons, his pride had taken enough beatings lately and he didn’t feel like getting fired twice within the same week.

While Kris was mourning his fate, Jongin had moved on and was now playing with the expensive piece of meat he ordered. When the artful plating came undone, he giggled and stabbed the meat with his fork with a play growl and snarl on his lips that made him look like a puppy trying to emanate intimidation.

Mentally face palming, Kris reached for the bottle of wine held in Jongin’s grasp. Jongin let out a sharp gasp of surprise and he glared up at the waiter with a pout on his lips as he held onto the bottle tighter and angled his torso away from Kris’ hands.

“No! This Jonginnie’s, no share!” His face was scrunched up and his lips were stained red with wine and glossed over invitingly. Kris quickly averted his eyes and he felt the tips of his ears redden in embarrassment. He could feel the stares directed at him and he really didn’t want to make a scene, but it couldn’t be helped.

Reaching out for the wine again, Kris grasped the neck of the bottle and used all his strength to yank on it. It gave a bit, but Jongin wrapped both of his arms around it and he held on with a tight grip, his eyes shutting as well and his expression showing his determination. “Noo! NO SHARE!” He yelled and Kris cursed and yanked harder.

The bottle slipped out of Jongin’s arms, but when Kris began reeling back in surprise, Jongin stood up and snatched the taller man’s wrist and yanked back with all his weight.

Considering  the fact that he was inebriated and didn’t have the best balance at the moment, it was a bad call for Jongin to even stand up.

Time seemed to slow and Kris’ eyes widened in shock and horror and for a brief moment, Jongin sobered and they both felt the sensation of falling. Except instead of falling back on his ass alone, Kris was now hurtling toward Jongin and the only thing he could do was throw his limbs out to cushion his fall and not crush Jongin under him.

Pain radiated from Kris’ wrist and he felt something soft and warm under him, or more specifically, under his lips. His eyebrows furrowing, Kris shifted and he felt something move along his lips and his stomach. Opening his eyes, Kris saw pretty pools of wide brown, and he froze.

He was kissing Jongin and when he pulled away and regained his bearings, he realized that he was on top of Jongin, between his spread legs and pressing intimately close to the other’s hips. ‘ _Oh shit!’_

Jongin was dazed, but Kris watched in horror as awareness lightened his eyes. A flush then worked its way onto his cheeks and it spread down to his neck, dipping below the collar of his thin shirt. Touching his lips, Jongin blushed a darker red and he opened his mouth.

Kris expected anything, cursing and screaming, but he didn’t expect a soft gasp and the beginnings of tears.

However, all surprise was soon regained when Jongin suddenly growled and began beating at Kris' chest with small fists while screaming out pervert.

‘ _Damn it! There’s another fucking job!’_

 

~~♡~~

 

 

Sehun lounged in the chair of his hotel room. He was stuck there for another day because his wayward husband took off with his wallet. Luckily the hotel was gracious enough to wait for their payment, though they did have his credit card information so they probably already charged him by now.

But that wasn’t what had him scowling at nothing or glaring. It was Jongin’s last words that had him seething in controlled anger.  _“I’m not letting you touch me after you fucked some random whore! In fact, you **stink** , their perfume is giving me a headache.”_

The words echoed in his head and Sehun resisted the urge to slam his fist into the wall in fury. He could handle a husband who drank, someone who did nothing but stay at home, someone who even whored around behind his back, hell he even tolerated Jongin after he slapped him, but he wouldn’t allow the other man to think he was some kind of martyr in their relationship.

_‘Fuck! I’m the one who should be out right now, not waiting at home like some useless housewife!_ ’ He thought indignantly as he raked a hand through his hair in rough frustration. Jongin acted as if _he_ were the one trapped in this marriage, as if _he_ were the one doing Sehun a favor by not leaving.

He used to think that Jongin was his world. Damn his reckless self for thinking that marrying the sexy dancer was a good idea, he should have made Jongin wait for  _him_.

 

 

~~♡~~

 

 

Waking up with a hangover seemed to be routine now, but what was new was the warmth surrounding Jongin. It was comforting and he unconsciously smiled and snuggled into his bed, expecting the sheets to shift smoothly along his skin and his head to sink into a luxurious pillow.

But instead of familiarity, a heavy grunt sounded above him and his bed shifted and he toppled to the floor in a heap. Cold stone broke his fall and Jongin let out a little shriek, his eyes flying open as he sat up and rubbed his aching butt.

‘ _Where am I?_ ’ He questioned blearily, scrubbing the sleep from his eyes. The room slowly came into focus and despite his distracting headache, Jongin knew that he wasn’t in his hotel room. There was no comfort in the place at all, his big bed was replaced with a hard wooden bench, the plush carpet was cold stone, and his pillow was a large hulking form that snored louder than a chainsaw.

Panicked, Jongin shifted though all his memories of last night. ‘ _Okay, I threw Sehun off, I went to a restaurant, I ordered food from the moody waiter, I ordered him around, and then I found out that Sehun’s a bastard as well as a man whore, and then I got drunk?’_

“ _Damn it_!” Jongin cursed, remembering his broken promise to not drink for a while. However, under the discovery that his husband was quite literally sleeping with the enemy, it was a justifiable exception.

 

 

 

 

**A/N:**

**This was based off a Madonna movie I loved, yet hated for its sad ending. This was also my attempt at expanding my writing and incorporating real angst in one of my stories. (I never did make it to the island castaway part of the story this was named after, but I can be persuaded with comments :)**

 

 


	2. [LayKai] Unrequited Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Jongin first sets sights on his hyung's handsome friend, he's entranced and has never been able to see anyone else since.

**Unrequited Things**

 

**Pairing:LayKai**

**Summary: Jongin wasn't sure why they had to move to China, but he's glad he followed his brothers when Minseok hyung's friend appeared in his life.**

**Notes: I have a thing for KimBros and pampered, cute Nini (´・ω・`)**

 

 

“Little brother, this is my friend, Yixing.” Xiumin said, gesturing from his little brother to his Chinese friend.

 

 

“Hello,” Yixing said with an unsure voice and a nervously polite bow. Xiumin hyung’s friend was tall and handsome and when he smiled at Kai nervously, dimples appeared on his cheeks.

 

  
Wide-eyed, the ten year old boy stared at Yixing with a transfixed gaze. “N-nihao!” Jongin replied in shaky mandarin.

 

  
Yixing smiled at the boy’s perfectly pronounced words. “That’s good! I thought Xiumin said that you moved here a few weeks ago with your family, but you speak like a Chinese native.” At that, Yixing turned to give Xiumin a sly side glance. “Have you chosen a new name for yourself to use in China?”

 

  
Jongin smiled shyly and nodded, a blush adorning his cheeks because the handsome hyung complimented him. “K-Kai.” He managed to stutter out, his flush darkening at the amused smile that Yixing sent his way.

 

  
“Well Kai, welcome to the country! I hope it doesn’t pale in comparison to Korea.”

 

 

 

-(Six Years Later)-

 

 

 

Jongin sighed as the last school bell rang for the day, letting all its students know that summer had officially begun. A steady stream of students passed by Jongin, but the young male ignored them in favor of quickly weaving through them and making his way to the end of the hall.

 

  
A young man was waiting for him, his smile evident and recognizable even from the considerable distance. “Kai!” The brunette called out, frantically waving at Jongin once he caught sight of him.

 

  
“Chen hyung,” Jongin whined, embarrassment clear on his face when a few curious students cast furtive glances in their direction. “Can you please be quiet?”

 

  
Jongdae laughed and despite the height difference between him and his younger brother, he slung an arm over Jongin’s shoulders and pulled him down in an impromptu hug. “But I haven’t seen my little brother _aaaallllll day_! How am I supposed to live not seeing your sunny smile or cute face?” He asked dramatically, only looking half serious as he scolded Jongin.

 

  
“Hyung-” Jongin began, struggling to wring himself out of Jongdae’s hold.

 

  
“Tch. Why are you calling me hyung? Is Yixing _gege_ the only person that you will grace with your heavenly Chinese speaking voice?” Jongdae teased, letting Jongin go and enjoying watching the flush that ran down his younger brother’s face and neck.

 

  
“I-I speak Mandarin in class!” Jongin protested, adjusting his uniform collar and nervously picking imaginary lint off his jacket.

 

  
“Aw, you’re too cute~!” Jongdae cooed, reaching up to pinch Jongin’s cheeks, though there wasn’t much to grab considering the fact that his face had angled out and he hit his growth spurt recently. Now that he thought about it, Jongin was starting to look sensual rather than cute…

 

  
“Stop hyung!” Jongin whined again, his hands easily slapping his older brother’s probing fingers away. He pouted at Jongdae and he rubbed his reddened cheeks. He looked like an affronted puppy and Jongdae let out a relieved laugh, slinging an arm around his brother’s shoulders again.

 

  
“Oh Jongin, you are the epitome of cute, please don’t ever change!” He said dramatically, wiping away fake tears. “Please, stay Umma’s little angel and don’t ever marry- _Ugh_!”

 

  
Jongin wrenched out of Jongdae’s hold and ran down the hall, pausing in front of the stairs again before he turned around and stuck his tongue out at his brother. “That’s for calling me cute and for teasing me, Chen ge!” Once done shouting, Jongin let out a triumphant giggle at Jongdae’s expression as he raced down the stairs, ecstatic that he was finally done with school for a while.

 

  
Jongdae wheezed out a chuckle as he clutched his stomach and tried to concentrate on breathing. “All the body rolls in the word couldn’t change a puppy into a wolf, Kai!” He called out, though he knew that Jongin could no longer hear him. Jongdae winced again and he cursed Minseok and Junmyeon for ever humoring Jongin and enrolling him in dance classes. The kid had a hidden strength that he couldn’t always control.

 

  
‘ _Ah damn, I’m going to be bruised in the morning…’_

 

 

 

-(Kim Household: Shanghai, China)-

 

 

 

“I’m home!” Jongin called as soon as he unlocked the front door and took his shoes off at the door, running through the house barefoot. “Hyung, can we have YAKITORI for dinner?” He shouted, walking into the kitchen and depositing his school bag on the kitchen island before crossing the room and rifling through the fridge.

 

  
“Kai, I see you still have a love for all food containing chicken.” A smooth amused voice said and Jongin froze in shock before he straightened up and whirled around. Yixing was standing in the kitchen, his entertained smile lighting up his face and deepening his dimples. “Well, aren’t you going to greet your favorite hyung?”

 

  
The Korean word was smooth and low and Jongin gaped, he couldn’t help but stare for a little while longer. Yixing still looked the same as he did when Jongin was ten and meeting the Chinese male for the first time. The only major difference that Jongin could spot was Yixing’s soft blonde hair, and his height.

 

  
“Kai?” Another voice called out and Jongin found himself tearing his eyes away from Yixing to see his other brother standing in the doorway of the kitchen. He looked as if he just came back inside from the backyard, but Jongin could recognize that voice and that youthful face anywhere.

 

  
“Minseok hyung!?” He asked incredulously.

 

  
“Yes Jongin, I guess it’s been a long time hasn’t it? Ha, ha, I thought for a moment there that you didn’t-” Jongin immediately crossed the room and flung himself at his brother, his arms immediately circling his shoulders and drawing him into a hug. “-recognize me…” Minseok finished lamely, his words muffled against his younger brother’s chest.

 

  
“I missed you hyung.” Jongin murmured as he allowed himself to bask in the presence of his favorite brother. The very same brother who left for college five years ago and whom he hasn’t seen in person once all that time.

 

  
“I missed you too, Jongin.” Minseok replied, his arms finally unfreezing and moving to hug Jongin back. They stayed like that for a few moments, but then Minseok’s arms snaked down to the base of Jongin’s spine and he lightly pressed his hands into the small dips in his muscles.

 

  
Jongin let out a yelp and he squirmed as Minseok laughed and let go of him. “No matter how tall you are Kai, it seems that you’re still ticklish. How cute little brother!”

 

  
“Hyung! Not you too!” Jongin whined, a blush working its way onto his cheeks as he dared to make a quick glance in Yixing’s direction.

 

  
“Heh, you called him cute, didn’t you Xiumin?” Jongdae asked as he entered the kitchen. He didn’t look all that surprised to see Yixing and his college bound brother in the house.

 

Xiumin smiled and his rounded cheeks made him look even more youthful than he was.  
Jongin frowned and he looked back and forth between Jongdae and Minseok. ‘ _Am I the only one who didn’t know they were coming back!?_ ’ He thought to himself. He was a little hurt that his older brothers still treated him like a baby and never informed him of the things they had planned.

 

  
Jongdae blinked and he set down his bag on the kitchen table, entering the room just to open the fridge and rummage in it for food. He hummed when he found a bag of small purple grapes. He sat down at the table and propped his feet up before he plopped a grape in his mouth and seemed to remember something. “By the way, what’s my long lost brother and dear Yixing ge-ge doing back here?”

 

  
Xiumin laughed and he fondly clapped Jongdae on the shoulder, the action familiar and brotherly. “Oh Chen, you haven’t changed at all have you?”

 

  
Jongin let out a disbelieving scoff and he rolled his eyes at Jongdae’s antics. The man loved to pretend he knew more than he actually did so that he would feel less left out. The tactic never really worked though.

 

Yixing smirked mischievously and he sent Jongin a wink before he turned his attention back to Jongdae. It was lucky for Jongin that the blonde turned away before he could see him blush profusely. “Xiumin is right Chen, I think that you haven’t grown an inch since the last time I saw you and Jongin.”

 

  
Jongdae chocked on a grape and Minseok slapped him on the back roughly a few times before he managed to swallow it down. “What! Are you blind!? I’ll have you know, I’ve grown exactly ten and a half inches since the last time I saw your sorry hide!” He rasped, pointing accusingly at an amused Yixing.

 

“Though I can’t say the same for you Barbie, Jongin is sixteen and he’s taller than you!”  
Jongin faltered at his spot by the sink. He was thoughtful enough to get his brother a glass of water since he almost choked, but he froze when he heard his last statement.

 

 _‘A-am I really that tall!?_ ’ He thought a bit sadly, his mind sifting through memories of when Yixing was the tallest man he knew.

 

  
Yixing waved off his words and he laughed again. “Chen, you seem to forget that Kai is also taller than you.”

 

  
Minseok gently touched Jongin’s shoulder and the young student flinched before he relaxed and turned to look at his brother in surprise. “Hyung?” He asked softly.

 

  
Minseok frowned as he eyed Jongin pensively for a moment. However, he soon shook himself off and he cast Jongin an exasperated smile. “They haven’t changed a bit, have they?” He asked, tilting his head and gesturing to the bickering Jongdae and Yixing.

 

  
Jongin nodded, but he started again when cold water ran over his fingers and dripped off the side of the glass he was holding. With a soft “Oh!” he turned off the tap and quickly moved the glass to his other hand, frowning again when the wet glass dampened his other fingers.

 

  
Minseok lightly shook his head and he grabbed a soft dishtowel and using it to dry Jongin’s hands for him. “You know Kai, I really did miss you.” He said, his voice dropping to a whisper as he gently held Jongin’s hand up to his face, checking for any missed spots.

 

  
Jongin smiled at his hyung and he reveled in being close to the brother he missed within the last half decade. “I love you too, Minseok hyung.”

 

 

-0-

 

 

Jongin sighed as he threw his comb down and ruffled his hair in frustration. ‘ _It’s only a family dinner, why am I getting so worked up over this!?_ ’ He thought with a hopeless look on his face. He spared a glance at himself in the mirror and he frowned. _‘I’m too dark, my jaw is too wide, my lips aren’t small and pretty…Why do I even bother to-’_

 

  
“Hey Kai, why are you standing here staring at yourself in the mirror? I mean, we all know you’re adorable, but narcissism isn’t attractive.” Jongdae appeared in the bathroom doorway, casually leaning against the frame with his signature cat like smile on his face.

 

  
Jongin jumped a bit in surprise and when Jongdae let out a chuckle, he whirled on his brother, his expression a mix of indignation and embarrassment. “Hyung! What are you talking about? I’m not narcissistic!” He protested, completely ignoring the fact that he was wearing a nice, fitted pair of jeans and a thin, almost sheer white shirt that brought out his golden skin tone.

 

  
Jongdae let his eyes rake over his brother’s well-dressed form and he pointedly raised a brow. Jongin flushed and he looked down at his feet, digging his big toe into the cold tile.

 

“You actually have to be attractive to love yourself anyway.” He muttered to himself, thinking about changing his shirt into something darker and changing his pants into something comfortable. Maybe he’d be better off wearing an oversized shirt and sweatpants.

 

  
Jongdae noticed the way Jongin flushed and tentatively picked at his clothes, a small dissatisfied expression on his face. “Jongin, you know that you aren’t ugly. Your dear brothers wouldn’t lie to you.” Jongin looked at him with wide eyes and Jongdae smiled at him. “You’re cute and handsome, and when you dance-”

 

"Chen! Kai, dinners ready, so get down here now!!" Minseok shouted and Jongin rushed past Jongdae to the dining room, his socked feet slipping over the hardwood floors in his attempt to escape. 

 

Jongdae watched him leave with a frown on his lips. ' _He could have at least heard what I had to say before he rushed off,'_ Jongdae thought with a sigh. It seemed that he'd have to extra attentive to his baby brother during dinner, especially if a certain someone was around to make carelessly oblivious comments. 

 

Shutting his eyes, Jongdae let his hands wander up to his temples, he could feel a stress headache coming on.  _'I just hope Yixing has the decency to tell Jongin about his girlfriend after dinner...'_

 

 

 

 


	3. [KaiSoo] My Lady

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new detective is called in to catch a man running from his international crimes. Jongin is the spoiled brat caught in the crossfire of suspicion and intrigue.

**My Lady**

  
**Pairing: KaiSoo**

**Summary: A new detective is called in to catch a man running from his international crimes. Jongin is the spoiled brat caught in the crossfire of suspicion and intrigue.**

**Notes: I wrote this over the summer when I was half asleep and omg, it's so cheesy and terrible that others must read this.**

 

 

The dark streets of London welcomed him into its midst as if it were an old friend. The night sky was cast in deep greys, never really becoming dark enough to show the stars, the smog of the city made him sick. Soft rain made pitter patter noises as it fell on the ground, the old stone giving way and holding puddles the rain formed. He stepped into a puddle, ignoring the way the mud clung to his boots, he could always change them for a new pair.

 

  
“Ey! You lookin’ for a bed partner?” A voice called out into the night. He stilled and turned to face the owner of the vulgar tone. ‘ _Another whore…_ ’ He thought with distain at the woman shamelessly approaching him.

 

The woman gave him a vulgar smile, probably intended to be seductive. “I can ‘elp with the right price, ‘course.” The woman propositioned, leaning close to his form and touching his bicep from the outside of his fine cloak.

 

 

‘ _Trash_.’ He thought with disgust as the woman gave him a smile full of missing teeth. None the less, he looked down at her from the brim of his hat and smiled charmingly. The prostitute felt her breath catch in surprise; it seems that the fine gentleman taking a stroll through the late night rain was quite the looker, despite his almost foreign features…

 

  
“Miss, I’d be glad to have your company for the night,” The man began, his voice deep and velvety. He gently placed his hand under the woman’s dirty chin and lifted her face toward his. “Perhaps, I could entertain the idea of matrimony, if you were by my side.” He purred in a lilting tone, his dark eyes flashing with a dark promise that the woman was oblivious to.

 

  
“Aye!” The woman said eagerly, drawing closer to the gentleman who promised a comfortable future, something that only one of her station could only dream of- never mind the fact that the man’s promises were too good to be true.

 

  
The man smirked as he drew the woman to his side, not bothered when she clung desperately to his arm as he led her into a darkened alleyway. Later, as a pained gasp echoed in the air and died into a gurgle, the man looked into the sky and relished the rare parting of rain clouds, the full moon shining down onto the red streets and the metal of wicked blades. ‘ _It is another beautiful night.’_

 

  
-0-0-0-0-0-0-

 

  
“Ah, it’s another bloody murder.” A portly man in his late thirties said as he crouched by the figure covered in a white sheet on the ground. A young man standing off to the side came forward with a notepad. “Sir, is there any similarities between this case and the one on Abbey Street?”

 

  
The portly man dropped the sheet in disgust as he stood up and whirled on the inquisitive young man. “Perry, I believe that the head Chief has asked for privacy this morning!”  
The young man did not even so much as blink as he addressed the larger, irate male.

 

“But, sir, it is the duty of the Scotland Yard to protect the citizens of London, no?” He replied as he put the ink pen behind his ear and placed his notepad into the breast pocket of his jacket. “And as such, when the Yard fails to uphold its vows, it’s up to the reporters to inform the public of the reason for their failure as well as to warn them about the incompetence of their police force, correct?”

 

  
The grizzled man growled at the reporter. “That may be, Perry, however, the public need not be needlessly stirred into a panic by a whelp of a reporter looking to make a name for himself by causing mass hysteria in the papers!” The man exclaimed as he walked closer to the reporter, towering over the blonde male. “Now, if you would leave the investigating to the professionals, you may leave.” The older man’s request was spoken as a question, but it rang with the undertones of an order.

 

  
“I apologize,” Perry said insincerely. “I did not mean to overstay my welcome.”

 

  
The grizzled man scoffed, and he would have given a scathing reply about the reporter, but he was distracted by an official officer who came to his side. The man was wearing the uniform of the navy, a general to be exact.

 

“Sir.” The head detective deferred, his head inclined slightly in the wake of his superior.

 

  
The navy general waved him off and began speaking immediately. “Detective Abberline,” He began in a serious tone, casting a furtive glance at Perry from the corner of his eyes. The reporter caught him staring and he dared to send a cheeky smile in the general’s direction before he tugged the bill of his newsboy cap low over his eyes an made his way away from the crime scene, the crowd easily swallowing his form.

 

“I have come to see you in regards to a foreigner.” The general continued, turning his attention behind him as he waved a small form over.

 

  
Detective Abberline watched with interest as a small figure came forward, surprised that the navy general would bother to escort a mere foreigner to the city of London. “And what, pray tell, endears you to the idea that I would have anything to do with some wayward heathen?” Abberline asked with a raised brow, daring to look the general in the eyes as if to say ‘ _Well?_ ’

 

  
The general huffed and gruffly pushed the petite male forward, causing him to stumble. Abberline briefly lost his blasé act when he saw that the foreign male was…different. He had wide, dark eyes, soft pale skin, and shiny black hair that looked far more luxurious than any mop of hair he’d seen in all of London. For lack of a better word, he was…beautiful.

 

  
“Detective Abberline,” The young man began in accented English, the words falling off his tongue in an unfamiliar and awkward manner. “I am Do Kyungsoo.” He said simply with a low bow following his words, as if the name were enough of an introduction.

 

  
The detective seemed startled at the bow, but when he cast a look at the navy general, he saw that it wasn’t a surprising action to the military man. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Kungso.” Abberline said, completely butchering the pronunciation of the young man’s name. At Kyungsoo’s confused look, the detective offered a hand to shake rather than bowing as the foreign male did.

 

  
Kyungsoo frowned as he stared at Abberline’s hand. “My family name is Do, Mr. Abberline.” He said, correcting the older man’s mistake.

 

  
“Alright, Mr. Do,” Abberline amended, un-phased at the lack of a proper handshake as he dropped his hand to his side. “What has brought you to the Queen’s country, and why am I blessed with your presence?” The detective watched Kyungsoo as he spoke, noting that the young man watched his mouth intently and the way he seemed to think before he replied.

 

  
“You do not know of me?” Kyungsoo finally asked in surprise, his strangely pronounced words falling and lifting in a lilting tone. When Abberline shook his head, his frown deepened and a small furrow appeared on his brow. “ _Aish! Pabo Chanyeol!_ ” Kyungsoo cursed in his own language, making Abberline and the navy general look at each other uncertainly before Kyungsoo began speaking in English again. “I apologize, it seems that my colleague has made an error in communication-”

 

  
Someone in the crowd broke though the closed off area and began frantically running up to the cadaver laying on the floor. “Mama!” The young boy cried, shoving the white cloth on her face, only to pause and then begin sobbing hysterically. “S-she broke!” He shouted, his eyes wide and frantic as he used his hands to try and put her flayed flesh back where it belonged.

 

  
“Take him away!” Abberline shouted to the nearest constable. The young boy did not need to see the state of his mother, much less anything as gruesome as a corpse that was nearly sliced to ribbons and carefully arranged to exaggerate the wounds.

 

  
“NO-!” The boy cried out as he struggled out of the constable’s hold, clutching the limp arm of his mother with his grungy arms. Tears streamed down his dirty face and left tracks of white skin visible under layers of dirt. “No- _Mama_!” the boy called out when another constable appeared to help pry the young boy away from his mother’s corpse.

 

  
Kyungsoo watched the exchange with a mournful look in his eyes before he turned back to the detective. The foreign young man’s eyes widened considerably when he saw the detective already watching him again, despite shouting more orders that were swiftly carried through. “I am an investigator, sent here from my country to follow a demon.” Kyungsoo explained as the boy was finally carried off and the body was covered again. The agitated crowd was pushed back and people were urged to leave as a photographer snuck up and began taking pictures of the body still laying on the stone ground.

 

  
Abberline cursed and chased the nosey photographer off before he turned back to Kyungsoo with an un-amused expression on his face. “That’s all well and good for you, boy. But I have my hands full chasing my own criminal. I have no time to babysit you in your ill-timed fantasy quest.” Abberline said as he crossed his arms in an indignant huff. _‘Chasing a demon?_ ’ The detective thought to himself in disbelief. Really, Kyungsoo was more of a child than he was initially led to believe.

 

  
Kyungsoo’s frown deepened and he stepped closer to the older man with a dark look in his eyes. “Listen to me! I am not some whimsical boy who is imaging shadows where there are none, I have come to capture a man so vile that he would murder the innocent with a laugh and a smile on his lips.” Kyungsoo spat vehemently as he took another step forward, ignoring the outstretched arm of the navy general preventing him from moving any closer to the detective. “And while I may not be anything like the well-off constables under your command, who can simply pay you to listen to them, I do have a goal and I intend to see it through to the end- even if it kills me to do so!”

 

  
Abberine fell silent as he reconsidered brushing off the young man before him. Kyungsoo seemed more determined than a simple kid looking to make trouble to while away the day.

 

  
The navy general warily watched the foreign young man before the detective waved him away and stepped forward to offer a hand to Kyungsoo. “Alright. Mr. Do, on behalf of the Scotland Yard, I would like to welcome you to London.”

 

  
Kyungsoo uncertainly gripped the older man’s hand and he started a bit when the detective began shaking his hand up and down. “T-thank you, Mr. Abberline.” Kyungsoo breathed in a relieved sigh. “I look forward to working with you.”

 

  
The detective released Kyungsoo’s hand and allowed a wry and tired smirk to adorn his lips, his entire posture seemed to radiate the exhaustion that the prominent bags under his eyes displayed freely. “I do not believe that anything good will come from this line of work anytime soon, but for the sake of the Queen’s people, I hope we will both be able to achieve our goals.”

 

  
-0-0-0-0-0-0-

 

  
Sunlight streamed through billowy white curtains. A young man tensed and languidly moved an arm to cover his face, blocking the sun in an intentional attempt to keep the sun out of his eyes.

 

  
A knock sounded at the door, but the young man did not bother to answer. A stiff and formal voice spoke, muffled by the door. “Young master, the master of the house has requested your presence for breakfast in the formal dining room.”

 

  
The young man on the bed did not move, instead choosing to wait for the butler to leave. ‘ _Nosey old codger.’_ The young man thought to himself as he sat up with an irritated sigh. He was a symbol of perfection, his golden tan skin a tribute to the athletic lifestyle he lived, giving him well defined muscle that was uncommon for a young man of his station. His sharp jawline was an exact copy of his father’s, something the older man never failed to point out when showing off his son like some prized stallion. However, his plush red lips and wide, half lidded eyes were a testament to his mother, proving to be enough reason for whispers of mixed blood to ring around the room whenever the young man was present.

 

  
An incessant ringing began from downstairs and the young man huffed as he threw the down blankets off his bare form and stood up, stretching languidly while muttering “I’m up, I’m up.” Under his breath.

 

  
Walking to his wardrobe, the young man allowed thoughts of the day’s schedule to cloud his mind. At eight, he had breakfast with his father, at nine, he had lessons with his tutor, at ten thirty he had tea, at noon, he had lunch. ‘ _Hell!’_ The young man cursed mentally, pausing in horror when he realized what day it was. “The meeting!” He said aloud as he quickly tugged on his pants, not bothering to button his shirt as he whirled around and rushed out the door of his room. Indignant anger and apprehension filled the young man as he ran down the stairs and burst into the dining room.

 

  
A surprised hush fell on the room before the sound of expensive cutlery tinkling against fine china resumed. “And what has brought my sloth-like son out of bed so quickly this morning?” The older gentleman at the table did bear a resemblance to the young man, though aside from his overall build, sharp jawline, prominent nose, and dusky skin tone, there was little else connecting the two men.

 

  
“Father, I refuse to meet the La-Rouge family this afternoon.” The young man said firmly, his jaw setting in a stubborn way that made him look entirely like his father at the moment.

 

  
The older man sighed and placed his silverware to the side as he finally glanced up at his son, not phased at all by the younger male’s state of undress. “Jongin, there is no reason to insult a good family by refusing to even indulge the idea of their company for the day.”

 

  
Jongin scoffed and raised a brow sarcastically as he crossed his arms. “And marrying a bastard off to their beloved daughter will make anything I do less insulting to them?” He asked pointedly, ignoring the fact that he’d already dragged their family honor through the dirt when he seduced and bedded their daughter, Cossette the week before.

 

Well, in his defense, she was deflowered long before he was allotted the chance.

 

  
“Jongin.” The older man said in a sharp, warning tone. “It has recently come to my attention that I have been far too…lax in your upbringing.” Jongin internally seethed at that. ‘ _It was probably that whore Christine spreading lies about me_.’ The young man thought to himself.

 

After his father’s wife and later, his mistress, died, Jongin was sure that the head of the Kim family would remain a bachelor, but recently he’d taken to dallying with some floozy who loved to spend money frivolously on petty things. And after declining to spend a night with the scheming blonde, the woman made it her mission in life to turn Jongin’s father against him. “-Despite the way we have been living, I think it is high time for your wild-streak to be tamed. Unfortunately, sending you to school was not able to turn you into an upstanding member of high society, so I am under the impression that nothing short of marriage will calm you.”

 

  
Jongin sucked in a shocked breath. “Father, are you mad!?” The Kim patriarch raised a brow in confusion as he met Jongin’s eyes. “Marriage should be the last solution for anything at the moment!” Jongin called out desperately as he dropped his arms to his side, his fists unconsciously balling into fists when he saw how convinced his father looked.

 

  
“I cannot say that I am sorry.” The elder Kim began as he pushed his food away, breakfast long forgotten in favor of speaking some sense into his wayward son. “Many youths such as yourself are engaged and set to be married by now; I see no reason for you to be an exception to the tradition of decorum.”

 

  
Jongin grit his teeth in anger. “I will never agree to something as restraining and mundane as marriage!” He spat out venomously.

 

  
The Kim patriarch rose from his seat and strode toward his son with swift decisive steps, his posture rigid. “As the head of this household, and as the owner of your inheritance, I say that you _will_ become enamored with the practice of marriage,” The older man stopped and stood before his son, never breaking eye contact as he stared the younger male down. Neither were willing to back down anytime soon. “-or you will lose your entire name _and_ inheritance!” With the finality of the extreme threat hanging over Jongin’s head, the Kim patriarch brushed past his son and made his way out of the dining room, the door slamming shut behind him with a decisive crash.

 

  
“Damn it!” Jongin cursed as he swept his arm over the table in fury, the assorted food and plates falling to the ground with a satisfying crash. The maids and butlers lining the edges of the walls in the room were the focus of Jongin’s next outburst. ”Get the hell out!” He shouted at them, his dark eyes darkening to a deep black as the anger coursed through his veins. With a plethora of frightened glances set his way, the room quickly emptied. Once alone, Jongin kicked the leg of the table and whirled around to punch the solid wood paneling of the dining room. Blow after blow landed on the wood in an incessant barrage of attacks as bursts of angry growls and terrifying threats fell from Jongin’s lips. A loud crack echoed throughout the room and Jongin relished the burst of pain radiating from his rapidly tearing knuckles.

 

  
With one last punch, Jongin stopped moving and allowed his body to slip against the over turned dining room table. Heavy pants filled the room, but it was still not enough. Jongin cast a heavy look at the windows of the dining room, the view of the meticulously manicured garden came into view, and before the young man could think about his actions, he was striding out of the dining room and into the hall leading to the front door.

 

  
‘ _Marriage be damned_.’ He thought to himself as he reached the end of the hall. Ignoring the coatrack, Jongin slipped his hand into the slight opening between the wood paneling of the wall and the wallpapered area by the door. The sound of wood sliding away met Jongin’s ears and the young man swiftly grabbed the familiar black fabric of his special coat. Carelessly tossing it on, Jongin closed the hidden compartment door and threw open the front door, leaving nothing behind him but the slam of wood on wood and the silence of a once calm morning. 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is so bad -.-'
> 
> Anyway, I was watching a Jack the Ripper documentary the morning after I wrote this. The detective found the real killer and that just ruined all mystery of the story for me T.T


	4. [KrisKai] Fox Fire 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kris is an ex-soldier making a living as a hunter deep in the forbidden mountains. Despite the stories of monsters told in the village at the base of the mountain, Kris finds living in the feared forest peaceful; That is until something begins chasing away the game, leaving behind ominous claw marks…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ⇨⇨⇨THIS IS NOW A SEPERATE FIC!⇦⇦⇦
> 
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/9347084/chapters/21172928
> 
> read there and comment ＼(>o

**Fox Fire**

**Pairing: KrisKai**

**Summary: Kris is an ex-soldier making a living as a hunter deep in the forbidden mountains. Despite the stories of monsters told in the village at the base of the mountain, Kris finds living in the feared forest peaceful; That is until something begins chasing away the game, leaving behind ominous claw marks…**

  
**Notes: ~~I can’t remember the name of the manga that inspired this, but it was adorable and the art was beautiful! This was also inspired a little bit by The Gu Family Book.~~**  
**~~I will now attempt to make a one shot~~.**

**This used to be a separate chaptered fic, but I lost all motivation for this after four chapters.**

 

Chapter One

  
“Ya know, it could just have been knocked over in the storm.” Baekhyun said with a nonchalant shrug. His pretty features showed his obvious disinterest, and if Yifan were more attuned to others, he would have noticed the way the smaller male’s eyes darted around the forest a bit uneasily.

 

  
Yifan looked the smaller man over with an incredulous expression on his face. “You think this-“ He pointed to the completely smashed chicken coop, the wire distorted and errant feathers sticking to the splintered wood completed the look along with the occasional smatter of blood. “-is the result of a simple _rainstorm!?”_

 

  
Baekhyun sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he met Yifan’s gaze. “I know you are a stubborn man, but will you just listen to me for once?”

 

  
Yifan ignored him and crouched next to the ground to inspect a marking in the dirt. ‘ _It looks familiar…_ ’ Yifan thought to himself as he grabbed a pinch of dirt and rubbed the gritty soil between his thumb and forefinger. The mark in the dirt was large, though Yifan was sure his hand span was able to dwarf it. It was almost as if a handprint were dragged through the dirt-

 

  
“Hey! Are you even listening to me?” Baekhyun was leaning over, obnoxiously pushing his face close to Yifan’s and blocking the taller man’s line of sight. “Instead of digging around in the dirt, we should be down in the village drinking and maybe I could get that new traveler to-“  
Yifan ended Baekhyun’s rant by using his hand to shove the other male’s face away, making him stumble and fall back on his ass, legs splayed in the dirt in front of him. “Shut up, dog.” Yifan said in a playful tone.

 

Baekhyun was known for chasing after every man worth something in the village, not to mention all the girls.

 

  
“You stupid brute!” Baekhyun sputtered in anger when he finally got his bearings and stood up, dusting himself off fastidiously. Yifan laughed and almost threw in a quip about animals rolling around in dirt but he was stopped by the familiar sound of hooves pounding on the ground.

 

  
Surprised, Yifan ignored Baekhyun’s plea for help and watched as a small legion of imperial troops appeared over the crest of a far off hill. “Are those soldiers?” Baekhyun asked, his voice surprisingly close to Yifan’s ear.

 

  
“Yes.” Yifan replied grimly, noting the way the smaller male stiffened briefly before he relaxed into his usual stance, his expression was most likely calm and blasé enough to make him seem bored.

 

  
Mud splattered onto the pristine white socks of a large, imposing horse when a soldier pulled on the tasseled reins. Three other men stopped behind the well armored man, flanking him with similar attire and bred horses. The morning sun peaked behind a persistent storm cloud, and as if on cue, shone upon the gilded purple and gold banners trailing on the backs of two soldiers, highlighting the crest of the emperor stitched elegantly with silver thread onto the silk fabric.

 

  
Yifan stayed silent, his face falling into a stony mask of indifference that he couldn’t shake off without making a conscious effort to smile. It seemed that he couldn’t exactly escape his past.

 

Silence fell uncomfortably onto the assembled figures and Yifan sighed as he made an effort to not appear rude. He really didn’t need any more soldiers appearing for any other reason. “To what do I owe the honor of your visit, Captain Huang?”

 

  
The tall man on the first horse smiled briefly before he schooled his expression and greeted Yifan with a wry tone, hinting at something distinctly threatening. “Captain Huang?” The dark haired man repeated with an amused laugh. “Why Yifan, I thought we were friends? Why so formal with your former student?”

 

  
Yifan snorted as he gave the man sitting on the horse an unimpressed look. “I wouldn’t _dare_ to address an imperial soldier above my station in such a rude manner.” He said, voice dripping with sarcasm that was blatantly obvious to all present.

 

  
A soldier seated on the captain’s right growled in indignant anger. “Watch how you speak to the Captain, peasant!” Yifan glanced at him lazily as he scratched the back of his head and yawned. “For your transgressions upon the emperor’s own soldiers, I would be _glad_ to behead you!” The hot headed soldier declared as he drew his sword and yanked on the reins of his horse, prepared to attack Yifan.

 

  
The horse reared and Yifan tensed and fell into a familiar stance fluidly, his eyes sharp and his mind focused. Baekhyun gasped from behind him, and Yifan mentally went through several different moves he could execute in time to stop the incoming attack and protect Baekhyun. ‘ _Damn!’_ Yifan cursed mentally when the horse began to fall back on all fours, prepared to run down Yifan and Baekhyun. _‘I shouldn’t have left my sword behind!’_

 

  
“Sehun, enough!” The captain ordered in a tone that promised punishment if his orders went unheeded. Sehun immediately pulled the reins of his horse and turned to gape at his superior. “But sir-“

 

  
“I will not repeat myself.” The captain said with a glare. Sehun fell silent and the young soldier cast a scathing look in Yifan’s direction before he moved back into formation.

 

  
Yifan let out a sharp laugh, making Baekhyun look at him like he was crazy while the soldiers appeared to be somewhat miffed.

 

“Having trouble keeping your lapdogs in place, Zitao?”

 

  
Tao appeared calm, but his smile was sharp and brittle as he dismounted and walked to Yifan, his hand reaching to his waist while maintain eye contact. “It is not of your concern, though _this-”_ Tao pulled out a scroll from the sash tied around his waist and handed it to Yifan with a cold gaze. “-Is of importance to you.”

 

  
Yifan took the scroll, raising a brow at the official crest stamped on it. “Delivering the Emperor’s mail, Zitao?”

 

  
Tao stiffened and Yifan saw his hand twitch toward his sword before he let out a small growl and clenched his hand into a fist. “Well, being an official envoy captain is still far more _lucrative_ than toiling away in the dirt like an animal.”

 

  
“Speaking of animals, doesn’t running in circles at the beck and call of a master something only a dog does?” Yifan scoffed and placed the scroll on the inside of his robe, the rough linen brushing against his knuckles with the movement.

 

  
Sehun let out a growl and he made another movement toward Yifan, but he was held back by other officers. Tao only curled his lip in a sneer and spat at Yifan’s feet. “Better a dog than a traitor.” With that, he spun on his heel, his purple robe swishing with the movement and flashing a burst of silver thread as he mounted his horse again and threw Yifan one last look of contempt. “I hope this is the last time we meet on these terms. You would look better hanging by the neck.”

 

  
Yifan watched as they rode off, disappearing over the hill again. ‘ _Zitao, he’s changed a lot.’_ He thought with a grim expression on his face, memories of a bright eyed boy fading into the scowling countenance of a young captain.

 

  
“Well that was severely unpleasant.” Baekhyun interjected, startling Yifan a bit with how loud his voice was in the early dawn.

 

  
Heaving a sigh, Yifan decided that he’d read the scroll later and get back to the matter at hand. With that plan in mind, Yifan crouched back down at his desecrated chicken coup and went back to inspecting the dirt.  
Baekhyun looked at him in confusion. “Aren’t you going to see what the scroll says?”

 

  
Yifan sighed again and looked up a Baekhyun with a serious expression on his face. “I can’t read.” Once the surprise and disbelief was registered on Baekhyun’s face, Yifan let out a chuckle and went back to inspecting the claw marks left in the dirt.

 

  
“Yah! That’s a lie there’s no way imperial soldiers would go through the trouble of delivering a scroll to an illiterate peasant-! Hey, are you listening to me?”

 

 

  
-✿❀✿-

 

 

  
Yifan let out a yawn as he flopped down in bed, not bothering to change his day clothes, even though he was covered in dirt and sweat and aching to take a bath. The sound of crickets reached his ears from outside, the late summer heat making his small home humid and uncomfortable. An owl hooted as Yifan mustered up the energy to shift onto his back. The thatch ceiling came into view, along with the wooden support beams of Yifan’s handmade dwelling.

 

 _‘I should catch that bastard now.’_ Yifan thought in satisfaction, the slight ache in his muscles a small price to pay in exchange for catching the fox that was messing with his livestock.

 

  
It had started in the beginning of spring. Yifan would wake up every morning to a hole dug under his chicken coop, a few hens missing from the flock. It pissed him off to no end that the sneaky fox had evaded him for months and over time the smug bastard began stealing other things from his garden. But at the end of this storm, Yifan had had enough. He had set up a trap earlier that day (after chasing Baekhyun back to the village), but this was different. Instead of his usual simple traps, Yifan decided to use an elaborate set up that he had to use when he was a soldier, it was usually implemented to catch criminals, but it should still apply to a fox.

 

  
‘ _At least my skills are useful off the battlefield…_ ’ Yifan thought with sarcasm dripping from every word. He hated bringing up his past, but it was unavoidable at times. Though that didn’t stop Yifan from living like a hermit up in the Mountain of Abundance and avoiding all human interaction. He was isolated and the superstitious villagers (aside from Baekhyun, but then again, he was the exception to many things) never dared to set foot on the mountain, much less bother Yifan.

 

  
‘ _Ah, while on the topic_ -’ Yifan fished around his shirt and pulled out the scroll that was delivered to him that morning. _‘I wonder what the benevolent Emperor has to say to me…’_  
Yifan sat up and broke the seal on the scroll, the expensive wax easily crumpling away. He unraveled the fine paper and had to squint to see the characters in the dim lighting, his single candle barely providing enough light to illuminate the room.

 

  
_Wu Yifan, as an ex-soldier, you may not have the best perception of the Imperial army. However, I implore you to fulfill a request for your once good friend._

_I have recently received reports of a man who lives in the Mountain of Abundance, I knew it had to be you. No one other than yourself would have ever dared to set foot in the mountains, and I would like you to bring a certain creature to me. It may be just an outrageous story, yet there is some truth held in the eyes of those who have seen this creature._

_I would like you to either prove it real and bring it back to me, or soothe the villager’s minds around the base of the mountain by proving the creature to be nothing more than a story. In exchange, you will be officially discharged from your duties and be left to live in peace._

  
_Yifan, I ask this of you not as your Emperor, but as your old friend._

  
_Sincerely,_  
_Kim Junmyeon_

 

Yifan cursed and hastily folded up the scroll, throwing it onto his small table. “Bastard, always asking for things when he could just order me to do his bidding.” He said with no real spite in his voice.

 

The Emperor was a young man who inherited the title of power from his father when he died, leaving an adolescent king to rule a country. Yifan met Junmyeon in his youth as a young recruit working in the imperial army as a guard. His skill with his sword and his age had alienated Yifan from the other guards, though he found one person who voluntarily sought his company. At first Yifan didn’t know who the boy was, but when he was promoted to the elite guard, he found that he had to protect his new friend on a daily basis. Their partnership worked well for many years, at least until Yifan left the Imperial guard and disappeared.

 

  
“But as least, it seems that I’ll finally have my freedom.” Yifan said aloud, contemplating taking the offer. In the country, there were numerous stories of nine-tailed fox creatures that roamed the Mountain of Abundance, feeding from the food and game of the lush land. Of course, the misty mountain was off limits to humans, and aside from poachers and desperate hunters, everyone abided by this rule.

 

  
When Yifan first arrived at the village, a few of the older men were speaking about a hunting trip that went horribly wrong a few decades ago. Yifan recalled getting a table and renting a room at the inn, but as a curious newcomer, he sat near the men and listened to their conversation while drinking the bitter tea provided by the old hostess.

  
_“I swear, there was this creature, it looked like a fox, but it was silver and it was easily the size of an imperial horse!”_ A young man sitting with them scoffed, but another man nodded gravely.

 

  
_“I remember that, the beast killed Shin and it gave me this scar.”_ The grizzle man then lifted his shirt and the young man gaped at the scar spanning the entire length of his torso, starting from his right shoulder and fading into the left side of his hip. “ _I almost died that day, but thankfully my good friend here-”_ The man dropped his shirt and smacked the back of the first man. “ _-Managed to give the creature a crippling blow before it ran off.”_

 

  
“ _Wait, this creature….was it a Gumiho?”_ The young man asked, the last word spoken in a hushed whisper, but despite that, everyone in the room stiffened and some of the old women in the inn began muttering prayers under their breath, holding jade amulets close to their hearts.

 

  
“ _Shhh!”_ The scarred man interrupted, hushing the young man before he cast his eyes around the room. Yifan caught his eyes for a moment. “ _You must never say their names! Doing so brings back luck, didn’t your mother teach you this, boy?_ ”

 

  
Abashed, the young man bowed his head and muttered a small apology. Even mentioning the creature in the village was a taboo. Eventually the people in the inn unfroze and began small, polite conversation with each other. Tired and bored now that everyone was avoiding the topic of giant foxes, Yifan left a few gold pieces on the table and made his way to the room for the night.

 

 

  
_‘Aish! Everyone around here is too superstitious for their own good!’_ Yifan thought in irritation as he blew out his candle and lay down in his bed. ‘ _They even have the Emperor believing in fairytales.’_

 

 

  
-✿❀✿-

 

 

  
The next morning, Yifan could feel that something had happened. It was in the air and the ex-soldier jumped up in excitement. “The trap!” He yelled as he grabbed his shirt off the floor and slipped it on while running outside.

 

  
The sky was dark and cloudy, the remnants of yesterday’s storm lingering in the form of a light sprinkle of rain. Yifan ignored the warm droplets of water and rushed to the edge of the forest, his chicken coup having been built quite a ways from his home, along with his sheep and cattle pens. It kept the smell of the animals away, but it probably wasn’t a good idea in hindsight because there were stray mountain lions, wolves, and apparently foxes around.

 

  
The small hill separating the pathway to his home came into view and Yifan quickened his pace, nearly running to see if his trap actually worked. But as soon as the newly built chicken coup came in sight, Yifan froze in his tracks and his thoughts all centered on one question. _‘Is this a Gumiho!?’_

 

  
Trapped within the suspended cage above the coup was a young man, his skin glinting a golden brown color in the low light of the dawn, the misty rain making his black hair plater to his forehead. It would be shocking for anyone to see a human caught in a cage meant for an animal, but Yifan had never seen a human with fox ears on his head and a tail sprouting from the base of his spine.

 

  
Yifan slowly walked closer, his hand unconsciously drifting to his side, but he cursed when his sword was not there. ‘ _Damn, why do I keep forgetting to arm myself!?’_ He thought in irritation, deciding to continue ahead and use his fists if the fox tried anything. Not that he could, considering that he was trapped in cage and suspended in a tree four feet off the ground.

 

  
Yifan stepped on a twig and it snapped, making the fox boy lift his head and whirl to face the approaching man in alarm. ‘ _Shit!_ ’ Yifan cursed. He spent ten years in the Imperial Guard and he had been hunting since he could walk, so why did he have to be clumsy now of all times?

 

  
“Stay way!” The young man shouted as his lips curled up in defensive snarl. The reddish orange ears on his head flattened and his tail bristled, the white tip whipping back and forth as he warily eyed Yifan.

 

  
‘ _Huh, he speaks_.’ Yifan thought in wonder as he slowly approached the cage. The words were spoken in a rich voice, but the words were slightly awkward and the fox spoke in broken phrases.

 

  
The boy growled low in his throat and Yifan paused, his hands lifted in front of him in a placating manner. “Calm down, I won’t hurt you.” He said, hoping that the wild boy would understand what he was saying.

 

  
The fox tilted his head slightly and he stopped growling, though he was still tense as Yifan approached him.

 

  
‘ _Beautiful…_ ’ Yifan couldn’t help but think as he finally got close enough to study the features of the fox boy. He had large chocolate colored eyes, high cheekbones, and plush red lips. He still had some baby fat on his cheeks and paired with his wide nose, Yifan though that he was cute, though his features hinted at sensual undertones. Yifan could imagine the boy’s feature’s becoming more defined with age, his jawline sharpening and his cheeks smoothing out.

 

The boy looked a bit young, though.

 

  
One fox ear twitched and the boy’s nose twitched as he studied Yifan with suspicious eyes. “Hunter?” He asked, his mouth struggling to form words that felt uncomfortable on his tongue.

 

  
Yifan caught himself staring at the boy’s lips and he cleared his throat before he met his eyes and spoke slowly, his words clear and enunciated. “No, I am a farmer.” It took a while for the boy to catch the meaning of his words, his eyes glued to Yifan’s lips as he spoke, making the older man fight off a blush. Though he still felt flustered, the only other person he’d been around the past three years was Baekhyun. “Are you a fox?” Yifan asked once he made sure the fox knew that he wouldn’t hurt him.

 

  
The boy quickly shook his head. “No fox, Kai.” He then pointed to himself and looked at Yifan with a look in his eyes that was a little sad. “Kai.”

 

  
Yifan smiled a bit and nodded his head. “Kai,” he repeated, making the fox nod and smile a bit uncertainly. “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Yifan said with an exaggerated bow, almost falling over into the mud when he leaned too far. He quickly righted himself and flushed a bit when he saw the fox boy laughing. ‘ _Aish, I’m acting like an idiot!’_ He thought in embarrassment, though as he watched Kai smile, he found that he didn’t mind too much.

 

  
“Funy.” Kai said, his eyes taking on an almost golden hue with amusement. Yifan unconsciously smiled back and chuckled a little.

 

  
A creaking noise reached Yifan’s ears and the farmer looked up in surprise only to see the branch that supported the cage was swaying dangerously. Yifan was grateful that the rain had stopped a while ago, but he was now regretting suspending his trap on a weak limb of the tree over his chicken coup. Though to be fair, he wasn’t expecting to catch anything larger than a simple fox.

 

  
The branch let out another creak and the cage dropped a foot closer to the ground. Kai let out a yelp when he was jostled, his head hitting the edge of the cage. “No fall!” he said, looking at Yifan with wide scared eyes.

 

  
“It’s okay! I’ll let you out.” Yifan quickly strode forward and used both hands to work on the latch holding the bottom of the cage shut. The branch let out another dangerous creak and Kai let out another whimper. “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine.” Yifan said, hoping that his voice would calm Kai, though the fox was too busy looking up at the breaking branch above him.

 

  
‘ _Damn, it’s stuck!_ ’ Yifan thought in frustration as he used his teeth to try and chew through the leather sewn latch. The cage swayed and fell another inch. ‘ _Almost there-‘_

 

  
The branch broke and the cage slipped from Yifan’s hands, though he quickly wrenched the door open and yanked Kai out before the heavy wooden contraption fell to the ground with a loud clatter.

 

  
The wind was knocked out of Yifan as a solid weight landed on his chest. He fell on the ground and held has arms over Kai protectively when the cage crashed to the ground.

 

A groan reached his ears and Yifan coughed lightly as he opened his eyes.

 

  
Deep pools of brown met his eyes and Yifan couldn’t stop his blush this time when he noticed that Kai was already sitting up, straddling his waist and looking at him in worry. “Human hurt?” Kai asked, leaning his face closer to Yifan’s while his hands roamed the expanse of his chest in search of wounds.

 

  
“Ah, hey! Stop touching-” Kai’s hand brushed past Yifan’s crotch and he quickly pushed the fox away and stood up.

 

  
Kai fell over and he looked up at Yifan in surprise, his eyes swirling in confusion. “Human?”

 

  
Yifan fought to keep his flush down as he nervously adjusted his clothing. He was covered in mud, and now Kai was as well, though his thread bare clothes were looking a little worse for wear. He would need a change of clothes and a bath-

 

  
Yifan shook off the thought of Kai in a bath and avoided the bewildered fox’s eyes as he fiddled with the tie on his pants. “It’s not _‘Human,’_ I’m Yifan.”

 

  
Kai tilted his head and frowned lightly as he tried to pronounce the new word. “Wu Fan?” He asked with his eyes looking up at Yifan with pride. “Wufan!”

 

  
Yifan shook his head quickly and leaned down to help Kai up. “No, it’s _Yi Fan_.”

 

  
Kai lifted his arms and let Yifan help him up, though he looked a little put out by the mud caked onto his clothes. “Wufan, Kai dirty.”

 

  
“Yifan.” He corrected, making Kai scrunch his nose and shake his head.

 

  
_“No,_ Wufan.” He said firmly as he looked at Yifan defiantly. The human let out a little huff and decided to drop the matter for a moment.

 

  
“Fine, call me Wufan.” He said with a roll of his eyes. Kai lit up and Yifan couldn’t help but smile at how cute he looked. His eyes were soon drawn to his dirty clothes though, the muddy fabric clinging to Kai‘s legs. He quickly looked away again. “Come with me, Kai.” He ordered, gesturing for the boy to follow him.

 

  
Kai looked curious as he followed him, stepping in the exact steps that Yifan left behind, though it was a little difficult to do because Yifan was much taller and had a longer pace than Kai.

 

“Wufan!” Kai shouted after the man made it over a small hill, disappearing from his line of sight.

 

  
Yifan stopped from his place over the hill and sighed before he turned around and made his way back toward Kai. The fox was wobbling in place, his feet spread far as he tried to stay within Yifan’s footprints. At the sound of the farmer’s footsteps, his ears twitched and he looked up, his tail twitching as he struggled to maintain balance. “Wufan, Help!” He chirped, looking back down at his feet when they slid a bit in the mud.

 

  
Yifan let out a laugh and walked toward Kai. Once close, he grabbed Kai’s hand and pulled him into his chest before he steadied him and pulled him along the path to his home. “It would’ve been easier if you just followed me!”

 

  
Kai gripped his hand tighter and replied with a confused murmur. “Kai follow!”

 

  
Yifan smiled fondly at the answer and decided that he’d try explaining things later. But as soon as he came in sight of his home, he paused in alarm. A familiar figure was lounging on the small front porch, the wooden chair Yifan placed there tipped back and leaned against the wall of the home.

 

  
“Shit, it’s Baekhyun.” As soon as the words were uttered, almost as if he heard him, Baekhyun looked up and spotted Yifan. His eyes lit up, but then they fell onto the smaller form of Kai and his lips parted in surprise.

 

  
“ _Kai?_ ”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this story was a 100% indulgent Kai/ fluff/ hybrid/ fantasy AU with Kris :)


	5. [KrisKai] Fox Fire 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kris learns more about Kai and Baekhyun, mostly that they were definitely trouble.

 

“Beak-hyun!” Kai called in excitement, leaving Yifan’s side and bounding up to the petite male standing in front of Yifan’s home.

 

  
Baekhyun gave the fox a distracted smile and opened his arms to catch him.

 

  
Yifan blinked and he regarded Baekhyun with suspicion. “You know each other?”

 

  
Kai nuzzled into Baekhyun, nosing along the column of his neck and rubbing his head under his chin. Yifan tried to suppress the urge to yank Kai away from Baekhyun and growl at the other male.

 

  
Baekhyun smiled at him nervously, almost as if he could sense the other man’s thoughts. “Why don’t we talk more inside? I’m sure the rain is bound to come back soon.” At his words, thunder roared and crashed in the distance, making Kai startle and yelp.

 

  
Yifan frowned at the fox’s hunched form in Baekhyun’s arms and he wordlessly brushed past them, leaving the door open behind him in obvious invitation. He heard muffled footsteps follow him, a slight halt by the door where Baekhyun kicked off his shoes and helped clean Kai’s bare feet a bit before they entered the small house.

 

  
Yifan vaguely gestured to the lone table, moving across the single room house to get another chair. The furniture was all hand-made and Yifan was glad to see that it was all holding up well, despite having been worn in from use for a few years.

 

  
Placing the chair opposite from Baekhyun, Yifan sat down and leaned back, crossing his arms as he stared the smaller male down. “Now, you mind telling me how you know the Gumiho that’s been eating my chickens and stealing my food?”

 

  
Baekhyun snorted and pet Kai’s head when the fox wriggled around in his lap. “No tea or snacks for your esteemed guests?” He asked with a teasing lilt to his voice. Kai lifted his head at the familiar word, his ear twitching and his face lighting up with a warm glow as he looked at Yifan with hope in his eyes. “Snack?”

 

  
_“No.”_ Yifan replied in irritation, making Kai shrink back into Baekhyun and give Yifan cautious looks. Ignoring the small pang of guilt he felt, he turned his attention back to Baekhyun. “Now, tell me what’s going on.”

 

Baekhyun sighed and softly pet Kai’s hair, rubbing the tip of his reddish orange ears between his thumb and forefinger. Kai made an affronted noise and smacked his hand away, glaring up at Baekhyun before he sniffed and snuggled back into the crook of his neck. Baekhyun chuckled and Yifan felt himself frowning when he noticed the way they interacted, it was with an ease and sense of affection that ran deeper than mere acquaintances.

 

  
Baekhyun finally sighed and looked at Yifan with a seriousness that usually wasn’t associated with his personality. “Fine. But if I tell you,” Baekhyun looked at Kai and the fox hummed softly as he closed his eyes and leaned into the older male. “You have to promise me that you won’t hurt Kai.”

 

  
Yifan blinked in surprise and before he opened his mouth to protest, Baekhyun cut him off with a stern look.

 

  
“Yifan, I know that you have some secrets that you have never told me, even if we have known one another for a while.” Baekhyun gently rocked Kai in his arms and the fox relaxed even further in his arms. “Hell, I even have a few secrets of my own, but all I ask is that you don’t hurt him.”

 

  
Yifan looked at the sleepy fox and felt his heart clench a bit at the sight of the innocent eyes blinking back at him. “I promise not to hurt him.” Yifan found himself saying, the deal with the Emperor forgotten for the moment.

 

  
Baekhyun silently eyed him before he finally nodded and began speaking in a low, lulling tone. “I was born in the village here, you know. I’ve never had the chance to leave or really travel anywhere, but I didn’t mind. I love it here, this is my home.” Yifan nodded and watched as Baekhyun’s eyes became misted and lost in memories.

 

  
“My family was never really big, my mother died after giving birth to my younger sister and my father soon left to follow her. It was hard for a while, but everyone in the village helped raise my sister and I. I was content to live here, surrounded by the familiarity and comfort of everyone, but Le- my sister.” Baekhyun corrected himself quickly. Yifan found it a little strange that he wouldn’t speak her name, but he just assumed that Baekhyun was still stricken with grief.

 

  
“She couldn’t wait to leave the village. In fact, she even started packing her things, but I convinced her to stay, time and again.” Baekhyun blinked away the sudden tear welling in his eyes. He laughed a bit and then he looked down at the sleeping fox in his arms with a more than fond look-

 

Yifan could see the blatantly obvious love in his eyes. It made him uncomfortable and the ex-soldier shifted in his seat.

 

  
“But, what I didn’t know at the time was that even though she stayed with me, she was sneaking off into the mountains.” Yifan wasn’t too surprised at this, Baekhyun visited him often enough for him to forget that the villagers were not allowed in the mountain he lived on. “At the time I was still young, and I followed the village rules, so image my surprise when I followed her one day and she walked straight into the forbidden mountains!” Baekhyun sighed in exasperation and shook his head. “I thought that was the worst of it, but it soon became apparent that she was waiting for someone.”

 

“Waiting for someone?” Yifan asked. As far as he knew, no one else was living on the mountain when he moved here a few years ago.

 

  
Baekhyun nodded. “Yes. I started following her every day, but it was only during the new moon that a man appeared.”

 

  
“Why only during the new-” Yifan started to ask, but Baekhyun shushed him and glanced meaningfully at Kai, who stirred lightly in his arms. Baekhyun started humming and rocking a bit and the fox soon fell asleep again.

 

  
“I didn’t know why he would meet my sister at certain times. Back then, I thought he was just some random vagrant who lived in the mountains. But when I confronted them, he bared his teeth at me and _growled.”_

 

Baekhyun had an unreadable expression on his face as he continued speaking. “My sister stopped him and she introduced us, but I was suspicious. He was a handsome man, too handsome, and his hair was silver. His appearance startled me and I asked my sister question after question until she crumbled and told me everything.”

 

  
Yifan’s attention was drawn outside where the sound of more thunder could be heard. The sun would have been bearing down on the earth in strong, late morning rays, but it was blocked by a thick blanket of clouds. He briefly considered lighting a candle, just to have a cheery glow in the room, but Baekhyun began speaking again.

 

  
“The man was someone named Yixing, and he was the feared Gumiho of the Mountain of Abundance. He is also Jong- _Kai’s_ father.” Baekhyun corrected himself again and Yifan wondered if he had a specific reason for obscuring names. "Then he and my sister gave me my nephew a year later."

 

‘ _Maybe I’ll get him to tell me the reason for that later…_ ’ Yifan thought to himself before he considered Baekhyun’s words. He couldn’t really tell that they were related, but now the reason for their closeness made him relax slightly and uncross his arms.

 

  
“Well, that explains most everything, but why has Kai been stealing from me?” Yifan asked, deciding to inquire about Kai’s mother and father in detail at another time. Preferably when Kai wasn’t around.

 

  
At Baekhyun’s sheepish expression, Yifan frowned and said in a disapproving tone, “And why did you play along with him? You could have saved me the trouble of rebuilding my chicken coup _and_ replanting my garden- _twice!”_

 

  
“Ah, about that…” Baekhyun looked embarrassed and exasperated as he looked at the sleeping fox in his arms. Kai’s eyelids fluttered and he let out a small growl while his tail twitched.

 

‘ _He’s probably hunting in his sleep._ ’ Yifan thought with a reluctant smile tugging on the end of his mouth, he had a feeling that Kai immensely enjoyed stealing and chasing his chickens. Even if it did cost Yifan a few precious gold pieces in the process (he had a feeling the local farmer ripped him off).

 

  
“You see,” Baekhyun’s voice drew Yifan’s attention away from Kai and the soldier quickly felt his amusement fade away. “I can’t necessarily raise Kai in the village because-” The petite male vaguely gestured to Kai’s ears and tail. “And I would probably kill anyone who hurt him,” Yifan scoffed, but Baekhyun glared at him and squeezed the fox closer to his chest. “I would!” he said indignantly, his affronted expression making Yifan laugh.

 

  
“Alright, alright! I believe you. Now you were saying…?”

 

  
“I built him a small home here in the mountains, just in the woods behind the area where you keep your livestock.” Baekhyun huffed. “He must have noticed the animals and taken a liking to them. He’s usually gentle and content with human food, but there’s something about chickens…”

 

  
“He was living so close the entire time!?” Yifan blinked in surprise, ignoring the rest of the information. He focused on the fact that Kai was living next to him and he was completely oblivious. He was sure that he had explored every inch of the area surrounding his home. “How did I not notice!?”

 

  
Baekhyun snickered and Yifan could easily imagine him as a mischievous gumiho. “I have my ways.” He simply answered, much to Yifan’s disappointment.

 

  
_“Fine._ Keep your secrets.” Yifan sulked.

 

  
“You haven’t told me the reason you’re here Yifan, need I remind you that you’re keeping secrets as well?” Baekhyun asked.

 

  
Yifan shut his mouth immediately and the previous aura of playfulness seeped away. He debated telling Baekhyun the reason why he was acting as a recluse, instead of living in the capitol with the Emperor as his body guard. ‘ _Can I trust him?_ ’ Yifan asked himself, his expression falling into one of pensiveness as he eyed Baekhyun critically. The smaller male met his eyes head on and didn’t flinch away, nor did he pry any further. Yifan analyzed everything he knew about Baekhyun, but he stopped once his eyes landed on the innocent sleeping form of Kai. The fox’s ears were still and his tail was wrapped around Baekhyun’s wrist. ‘ _He trusted me with his secrets. I suppose I could return the favor.’_

 

  
“I was born in a small village like this one, on the other side of the country.” Yifan began, surprising Baekhyun with his soft tone and almost wistful expression. “I was the trouble maker of the family and my older brothers had a hard time raising me.” Yifan smiled and let out a small chuckle as he recalled the one time he was scolded and for setting off the village bells and claiming that he saw a wolf. “Life was good and simple.”

 

  
“But-” Baekhyun stayed quiet and watched as Yifan’s expression darkened and his eyes grew furious.

 

“The Imperial army marched in at the late emperor’s orders and began forcefully recruiting every young man of age in the village.” Yifan trembled with rage as he remembered the way his father was treated, even though he was a veteran who fought in battle for their country’s honor and deserved respect. “They took my brothers and I, and when my father protested, they beat him down and left him laying still in the dust like common _trash!”_ Yifan shouted the last part and slammed his fist on the table, startling Baekhyun and waking Kai up.

 

  
Groggily, Kai rubbed his eyes and looked around with a confused expression on his face. “…Wufan?” He asked, spotting the human sitting across from him. Yifan didn’t react to Kai’s curious probing, but he did slowly unclench his fist and reign in his rage. _‘I guess I can hold grudges longer than I thought_.’

 

  
Baekhyun eyed Yifan warily, but he reluctantly allowed Kai to slip from his hold and silently pad to Yifan. “Wufan.” The older man startled when Kai called him and seemed surprised that the fox was now standing by his side.

 

Letting out a wide yawn that made his eyes water, Kai gave Yifan an expectant look. “Open.” He demanded, pushing Yifan back into his seat and moving his arm before he plopped down in the older male’s lap and snuggled into his chest.

 

  
“Hey-!” Yifan began to protest, but Kai butted his head against his chin and sent him a glare.

 

“SHH!” He reprimanded with a slim finger held against his plush lips, copying what Baekhyun did when he wanted Kai to be quiet.

 

  
Yifan promptly shut up and Kai let out a satisfied hum as he grabbed Yifan’s limp arm and draped it over his shoulders like a blanket. Helpless, Yifan let his arms instinctively move to hold the fox before he sent a pleading look at Baekhyun.

 

  
Baekhyun smirked at him. “Don’t drop him, _Wufan.”_

 

  
“Yifan!” He corrected out of irritation, his hold on Kai loosening as he became distracted. Baekhyun sent him a smug look and Yifan gave up. _‘I was wrong, they are definitely related.’_

 

  
Kai growled and used his sharp teeth to nip at Yifan’s collar bone. “Wufan, stay!” He ordered, glaring up at the human when he yelped and looked down at the fox in his arms.

 

  
“Aish! You two are insufferable and bossy!” He complained, but he complied with Kai’s demands and tried to stay as still as possible. He ignored the tiny part of him that cooed and melted when Kai gave him a pleased smile and nuzzled his neck as he curled up in Yifan’s hold and tried to take another nap.

 

  
“It runs in the family, so get used to it.” Baekhyun replied and gave an unrestrained laugh.

 

  
“Quiet, do you want to know why I’m here or not?” Yifan snipped, making Baekhyun fall silent and look at him expectantly.

 

“Please _do_ continue.” Baekhyun said in a serious tone, though Yifan chose to ignore the teasing light in his eyes.

 

  
“Anyway, I was separated from my family soon after. My brothers were sent to different parts of the country to serve the Emperor in the Imperial army, while I was sent to the capitol to train. I rose up in ranks and later…retired.” Kai squirmed in his hold and Yifan fell silent while waiting for the fox to get comfortable. He once again ignored the tiny part of him that felt complete with the warm weight in his hold, his arms naturally curving around Kai’s waist and his chin resting perfectly at the crown of his head.

 

He pulled back and observed Kai for a moment and he noticed that his ears looked as soft and shiny the black hair on top of his head matching the tips of his reddish orange ears.

 

  
Curiously, Yifan lifted a hand off Kai’s waist and gently rubbed the base of his fox ear, letting his thumb move up to slowly play with the tuft of black fur at the tip of his ear. Kai stilled in his hold, but he soon relaxed and he practically melted into Yifan’s arms with a contented purr.

 

  
_“Hey!_ Stop getting so handsy with my nephew you pervert!” Baekhyun interrupted with a loud shout, startling both Yifan and Kai. He was actually a little jealous that Kai was actually letting Yifan pet his ears, Kai hated it whenever Baekhyun attempted to do the same.

 

  
“I’m not a pervert!” Yifan protested, letting go of Kai’s ear quickly, much to the fox’s displeasure. He fought to keep a flush off his face, but judging from the look on Baekhyun’s face and his narrowed eyes, he failed.

 

  
“Says the thirty-something year old man touching my innocent fifteen year old nephew!” Baekhyun replied, his arms crossing across his chest as he eyed Yifan suspiciously. “Wait, how old are you really? What’s your occupation? How much do you make? Are your intentions toward my Kai pure or-”

 

  
“Baekhyun! It was just…petting! I’m not trying to court him!” Yifan protested loudly, jostling Kai with his movements. He could feel the flush on his face creep down his neck and he felt the need to bury himself six feet under the ground and never see the light of day again. It didn’t help that Kai was now grabbing his hand and placing it near his ears while whining and pawing at his chest, his squirming not entirely unwelcome in his lap-

 

  
Baekhyun glared harder at him and he stood up to scoop Kai into his arms, glancing pointedly at his crotch once he did so. _“Pervert!”_ He hissed, making Yifan flush more and try to stutter excuses that wouldn’t make him seem any guiltier than he already was.

 

  
“I’m not! I swear! Baekhyun, what are you-” Yifan stood up while Baekhyun clutched a confused Kai to his chest and backed away, acting as if the ex-soldier were some sort of dangerous criminal.

 

  
“Back beast, we don’t trust you!” He replied, protectively holding his arms over Kai’s form. Baekhyun wished he had a sheet or something, he was absolutely sure that Yifan was looking at Kai like he was some piece of meat-

 

  
“Wufan!” Kai interrupted, wriggling out of his uncle’s hold and pouncing on the human again. Yifan grunted and caught him, but they still ended up tumbling backward with Kai now straddling his hips.

 

  
“Wufan, touch Kai!” He demanded as he leaned his head down and pressed his face closer to Yifan’s, their noses almost touching, while his other hand grabbed Yifan’s arm and moved it toward his body.

 

  
“NO TOUCHING!” Baekhyun yelled with a completely scandalized expression on his face. Yifan found it a little unfair that the village playboy was so protective of his nephew’s innocence. If anything, Yifan should be worried that Baekhyun would do something to the innocent fox.

 

  
“YIFAN, YOU DIRTY-!” As Baekhyun rushed to protect Kai, he tripped over an uneven floorboard in the handmade house and he ended up shoving Kai forward.

 

  
Yifan only had time to register wide brown eyes flying open in surprise before he felt lips collide with his own in an accidental kiss.

 

Kai looked curiously at Yifan and moved his mouth against the older man’s lips, parting them while unconsciously licking his lips- only Kai was still connected with Yifan and the innocent fox ended up licking into Yifan’s mouth.

 

  
Yifan nearly blacked out and despite the tingles running up and down his body, he jerked away from Kai and flushed a bright red. Kai looked at him in bewilderment and licked his lips again, tasting Yifan against his tongue.

 

  
Baekhyun screeched and Yifan saw complete rage in his eyes.

 

  
_‘I’m going to hell.’_ Yifan thought in despair.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kai cuteness, cuddling, slight debauchery, and an attempt at comedy...
> 
> Lol, I guess I'm a diverse writer? (*^ω^*)


	6. [KrisKai] Fox Fire 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kris winds up chasing a fox and racing with Baekhyun. It wasn't something he ever saw himself doing.

Chapter Three

 

 

Dinner that night was eventful, to say the least. Yifan had finally managed to calm Baekhyun down with promises that he’d never do anything to hurt Kai. However, it was most likely the loud grumbling of Kai’s stomach and his small whines that finally convinced the petite man to let go of the fox and allow Yifan to cook something for them to eat. Out of all three bachelors, Yifan was probably the most equipped to handle making dinner without eating it raw (Kai) or setting it on fire (Baekhyun).

  
But even with the knowledge that his home was safe if Yifan did the cooking, he still found himself worrying as he and Baekhyun ran around in the forest calling out for Kai. Yifan still didn’t quite understand what it was about their conversation that set the fox off, but he sat up suddenly from his perch on Yifan’s lap.

 

_“…Dinner?” Kai asked softly, looking from his uncle to Yifan before his ear twitched and he slid off Yifan and ran out of the older man’s house. Yifan blinked in surprise and before he could even register the newfound cold on his lap, Baekhyun jumped up and ran after the fox._

  
_“KAI!! Come back!!” He shouted, and Yifan cursed as he got up and began to help search for the boy._

 

Now it was nearing dark and Yifan wished he had the foresight to bring a candle with him. Lighting flashed in the distance and the ex-soldier hoped it wouldn’t rain as heavy as it did the day before, he wasn’t keen on looking for a fox in a forest while being drenched in ice cold water.

  
Yifan heard panting and rushed steps and he looked up from his crouched position, expecting to see Baekhyun right before the man burst through a thorny bush with a loud curse.

  
“OW! Fuck-” Baekhyun tumbled to the ground in front of Yifan and he sat up with a wince on his face, using his hands to rake through his messy hair and pull out various twigs and leaves. Scratches were on his cheeks as well as a smudge of dirt on his forehead. Yifan stared at him for a moment and wondered how someone so used to visiting the mountain could be so clumsy in the forest. The trail from the village up to Yifan’s home consisted of sharp rocks, steep hills, and a particularly vicious goat that wondered around on the mountain side.

  
Baekhyun stopped picking at his clothing when he noticed Yifan and he glared at the man as he stood up and put his hands on his hips. “What the hell are you doing, Yifan? You’re supposed to be helping me look for Kai because you chased him away!”

  
Yifan made an affronted noise at the unfounded accusation. “I did not chase him away!” Baekhyun gave him an unconvinced look and Yifan struggled to meet his eyes. He did kind of feel a little guilty that Kai ran off, though he knew that he had no real reason to feel responsible for the actions of another person.

  
“Fine, you didn’t chase him away.” Baekhyun finally relented and Yifan relaxed a bit. It seemed his words were finally getting through to the thick headed uncle-

  
“But you still could have caught him! He was sitting right in your lap and you just sat there like an idiot and let him get away! I can’t believe you, were you honestly a soldier? You act worse than Chanyeol around puppies xwhen you’re with him, I swear-”

  
“Hey!” Yifan protested, standing up quickly and trying to hide his flushed face again. “You were the one sitting by the door! You could have reached out and caught him as well, and what kind of uncle forgets where he built his nephew’s house-”

  
“Shut it dog! At least I’m actively looking for him, unlike you, who was sitting here playing in the dirt the entire time!” Baekhyun exclaimed, his foot kicking the patch of dirt that Yifan was examining.

  
Yifan gasped in horror and he rushed to shove Baekhyun away. “Careful!” He exclaimed. Baekhyun looked a bit shocked by the unexpected shove, but he quickly righted himself and scoffed at Yifan. “Oh sorry, did I ruin your little mud fort?”

  
Yifan huffed and crouched back on the ground again. “It’s not a fort! And I wasn’t playing in the dirt, I was checking the ground for tracks that your nephew might have left behind.” Yifan then moved away the miniscule bits of clumped dirt and rocks that Baekhyun had kicked over the track. A small footprint was revealed and the ex-soldier whopped in triumph and shot Baekhyun a smug look. “See?”

  
“Yes general!” Baekhyun quipped sarcastically as he gave Yifan a mock salute.

  
Yifan scoffed and inwardly cursed at Baekhyun. The other man didn’t know how to show respect for anything or anyone.

  
Another bolt of lightning, followed by the loud rumble of thunder made Baekhyun jump a little in surprise. Yifan ignored him and examined the footprint, it was around the size of Yifan’s hand and the man inwardly wondered if Kai was going to stay the same size or if he would hit his growth spurt and become bigger than Baekhyun. ‘ _It looks like he went south…_ ’ Yifan thought to himself, though he soon frowned in confusion. ‘ _The tracks should be pointing north, the direction away from my house, so why-?_ ’ Realization settled in Yifan’s mind and the male let out a surprised noise as he stood up and whirled in the direction of his house.

  
“What are you doing?” Baekhyun asked, but Yifan was already walking back to his home. “Hey, are you giving up already!?”

  
Yifan ignored the alarmed tone, but he briefly spared Baekhyun a glance. “Kai already circled back, he’s probably waiting for us.” He replied, ignoring the shocked look on Baekhyun’s face.

  
“How could you possibly know that? We were searching for him for hours!” Baekhyun asked with a slight huff to his words. The petite male cursed Yifan for having long legs and he wished that he could curl up in bed at home and sleep for a week.

  
Yifan sighed and began explaining what he found to Baekhyun. “Kai’s footprint was facing south, not north in the direction he left the house in. Obviously, he headed back while we were looking for him.”

  
Baekhyun kept quiet and sped his pace up a bit, startling Yifan when he passed the older male in a few steps. Though Yifan didn’t stay meek for long, he fastened his pace as well and he smirked at Baekhyun when he caught up to him. “Too strenuous of a walk for your old bones?” Yifan asked, delighting in the fact that Baekhyun was flushed and out of breath while Yifan was barely breaking a sweat. Being a soldier required Yifan to have substantial amounts of stamina, as did working as a farmer out in the sun all day.

  
Baekhyun scowled at him and started a light jog that gave him a head start over Yifan. “It’s not so bad. I’m surprised that a nearly forty year old man can keep up with me.”

  
Yifan started jogging as well and he gave Baekhyun an affronted glare. “I’m only Thirty-Two! You’re the one who’s almost forty!”

  
Baekhyun narrowed his eyes at Yifan and he shoved his elbow into Yifan’s rib. “I am not, you liar! And I’m only a few months older than you!”

  
Yifan grunted in pain at the blow and Baekhyun smirked in triumph. The ex-soldier then grit his teeth and broke out into a sprint, running ahead of Baekhyun. They soon broke in a completely childish race and both men knew it, yet Yifan and Baekhyun had too much pride to admit that the other was faster.

  
Yifan deftly jumped over a small boulder in his path and he turned to smirk back at Baekhyun who had to slow down and run around it, but the petite male grit is teeth in determination and ran faster to catch up to Yifan. ‘ _Damn this bastard, why does Kai even bother with him!? I’m obviously more handsome!_ ’ Baekhyun thought angrily, huffing in exertion while Yifan easily sped past him again. He was used to being the only person that Kai would cling to and beg for attention. Especially when he was little and Baekhyun spent weeks at a time inside with him, reading him stories and feeding him assorted fruits.

  
Slowly Kai began to become independent, and half the time that Baekhyun now visited him, he wasn’t at home or he wouldn’t answer his uncle when he called for him. ‘ _Now my sweet, innocent nephew has been distracted by this stupid brute…_ ’ Baekhyun side eyed Yifan and he really hated the smirk on the other male’s handsome face. ‘ _Why couldn’t Kai have stayed my baby forever!?’_ Baekhyun thought in despair, already imagining his Kai leaving him for Yifan. He could already see his life as the overlooked and forgotten uncle…

  
Yifan looked to his right and was surprised to see that Baekhyun wasn’t glowering at him, instead he had a despondent look on his face and he wasn’t even paying attention to where he was going. “Hey-” Yifan began asking Baekhyun what was wrong, but he was interrupted by a sharp, stinging pain on the right side of his face.

 

“OW-!” He yelped in pain, stopping temporarily to clutch his red cheek. ‘ _The hell was that?’_

  
Baekhyun, lost in thought, continued running ahead of Yifan, but when he noticed the lack of a giant by his side he turned back to see Yifan clutching his face in pain. Confused, Baekhyun looked around and his eyes were drawn up to where a low hanging branch was swaying slightly. He looked back at Yifan’s face and he saw a bright red mark in the shape of the branch and Baekhyun burst out laughing. “HA, HA, HA! What kind of idiot runs into a tree!?”

  
In his haze of pain, Yifan looked up when he heard the sound of laughter and noticed Baekhyun almost rolling on the ground while pointing at him. “I thought you were being serious when you said you were an ex-soldier! But you let a fox outwit you multiple times and you ran into a tree, a _stationary_ tree!”

  
Yifan huffed and strode toward Baekhyun, breaking into a light jog again. “Well at least I didn’t get so lost in thought that I tripped and landed face first in the mud.” He replied, confusing Baekhyun.

  
“What the hell are you talking about?” He asked, breaking into a heavy jog just to keep up with Yifan and his stupid grasshopper legs. “ I didn’t-” Yifan gave him a devious smile as he paused slightly and leaned his foot out in front of Baekhyun. The smaller male didn’t catch the action until he stumbled over Yifan’s foot and tripped.

  
Baekhyun fell to the ground in a heap of limbs, a startled yelp leaving his mouth before it was muffled by a mouthful of dirt. “Now who is the _dirty_ old man?” Yifan yelled in triumph, skirting around Baekhyun’s fallen form and laughing manically as he ran off toward his home, eager to see Kai.

  
“YOU ASS!” Baekhyun shouted once he lifted his face off the ground and spat out the mud in his mouth. He could barely make out the farmer’s taller form in the distance, but he could tell that there was a smug smile on his face. ‘ _That’s it! I will do everything I can to keep that bastard away from Kai!’_ There was no way in hell that Baekhyun would give up his nephew to some farmer with a history of delinquency. In fact, he wasn’t going to share Kai at all.

 

 

✿❀✿

 

 

Kai hummed happily as he carefully set an armful of peaches on the table that Wufan and Bekyun were sitting in earlier. “Dinner!” He chirped happily once the luscious fruits were arranged in a perfect circle in the middle of the table. But something was missing…

  
“Food!” Kai yelled, springing away from the table and immediately running outside again. He followed the path in front of Wufan’s home and he easily cleared the small hill that the animals were kept over. A large gated area came into view, but Kai ignored the cows inside eating and he made his way eagerly to the tree sitting at the edge of the clearing.

  
The small chicken coup came into view and Kai growled playfully at the birds running around inside at the sight of him. Kai immediately latched onto the door of the coup and he poked his head inside. (Yifan hadn’t had time to rebuild the usual fence surrounding the hen house).

  
One particular saw Kai’s coppery ears and sharp teeth and immediately began squawking in alarm. All the other chickens followed suit and began scattering, but the exit to the hen house was blocked by the fox’s head.

  
“No, stay!” Kai yelled, finding that speaking human words was more interesting than telling the chickens to behave in fox. (They never did anyway, Kai’s low growls always made them more frantic).

  
Kai frowned when the chickens still kept running. It was a little hard to see, but he decided to pick the closest bird and bring it back to Wufan and Bekhyun.

  
The chicken that first sounded the alarm ran right in front of the hungry fox and Kai’s eyes took on a predatory gleam when he noticed that the bird was very fat. Preparing to pounce, Kai’s tail flicked behind him outside and he flattened his ears. He wriggled a bit and crouched low to the ground, his eyes locked onto his prey.

  
The chicken circled back in front of Kai and the fox let out a bark as he shot forward and bit the chicken lightly around the neck. The bird immediately fell limp in the jaws of its captor and Kai smiled in triumph around a mouthful of food.

  
Happy with his catch, Kai prepared to lean back out of the hen house-

  
“KAI!” Yifan shouted, making Kai’s sensitive ears flatten against his head as large hands grabbed him by the scruff of his neck.

  
The ex-soldier was passing by on his way home when he saw a fox tail peeking out from the door of his chicken coup. Surprised, he walked closer and he watched Kai pounce on one of his chickens. Alarmed, Yifan grabbed Kai and shouted at him.

  
Now he had a handful of confused fox with a scared chicken clamped in his jaws. “What are you doing!?” He asked, though he had a pretty good idea what the fox had in mind for the chicken. ‘ _Wait, is that…?_ ’ The chubby chicken met Yifan’s eyes and blinked at him almost meaningfully. “Put Xiumin down now!”

  
Kai looked up at him with sad eyes and he shook his head. Yifan frowned and used his grip on Kai to shake him lightly in warning. “Let him go, Kai.” Xiumin was Yifan’s favorite chicken. He found it in a small village before he traveled to the Mountain of Abundance and he decided to keep it and name it after its late owner, who cried and begged him to take the chicken he’d raised as a chick before his grandma cooked it.

  
He later found out that the kid who sold it to him was really named Minseok and he scammed the soldier into buying it to win a bet. Never the less, Yifan couldn’t find it in his heart to kill or sell the chicken that ate more than its bodyweight in food. (The damn thing was smart too; Yifan was sure that it knew what puppy dog eyes were and knew how to use it).

  
Yifan sighed and Kai’s ear twitched at the sound. Xiumin was still sending him S.O.S. signals and Wufan decided to try a different approach with the fox.

  
“Kai, do you want something sweet?” He asked as he slowly lowered the fox, whose bare feet unfurled from his balled up position to automatically support himself.

  
Kai tilted his head and Yifan didn’t know how he did it, but he managed to look cute with a mouthful of chicken. “Shmeeth?” Kai mumbled, making Xiumin panic when the fox’s mouth moved over his neck.

  
Yifan nodded and leaned closer to Kai, his hands stretched toward his mouth in case he decided to drop Xiumin. “Yes, sweets. I’ll give you sweet food if you let go of Xiumin right now.”

  
Kai eyed Yifan’s hands and he looked like he was considering Yifan’s offer. The ex-soldier stepped closer and his hands were a mere millimeter away from Kai’s chin. The fox’s jaws relaxed and Yifan breathed a sigh of relief as he reached out to grab Xiumin. He managed to save one chicken today-

  
Kai scrunched up his nose and his eyes watered as he pulled away from Yifan, Xiumin squawking as he saw freedom be snatched away from his claws. Yifan could only watch in horror as Kai sneezed, his jaws unintentionally closing around Xiumin’s neck.

  
“NO! KAI!!”

 

 

✿❀✿

 

 

Baekhyun heaved like he was dying when he finally made it over the small hill that sat right before Yifan’s house. It was nearing late evening now and all the male wanted to do was sleep so that he could wake up the next day and wring Yifan’s neck first thing in the morning.

  
But when he re reached the doorway to Yifan’s home, he was immediately tackled to the ground with a loud yelp. “Uncle!” Kai cried, crushing Baekhyun and making the man’s heart soar in happiness.

  
“Kai!” He shouted back, hugging the fox back and squeezing tightly as he shot Yifan a smug look over Kai’s shoulder. But Yifan had a stony, slightly guilty expression on his face and Kai didn’t push Baekhyun away or call him by his first name like he usually did.

  
Worried, Baekhyun drew away from the hug and began searching Kai for any injuries, and aside from a few tears in his eyes and a small red mark o his nose, he was fine.

  
_‘Wait,’_ Baekhyun thought to himself in growing rage. “Why is Kai crying!?” He hissed at Yifan, hugging the fox closer to him and smothering him in worried touches, soft comforting words, and butterfly kisses.

  
Yifan coughed lightly and rubbed his head sheepishly. “Well, I might have hit him on the nose-”

  
“You did WHAT!?” Baekhyun screeched, red encompassing his vision as he fought to keep himself from brushing past Kai to kill Yifan.

  
“Hold on!” Yifan exclaimed, backing away from Baekhyun nervously and almost stepping on a fat chicken standing behind him. “It was because he was about to kill my chicken Xiumin and I had to punish him for it-”

  
Baekhyun sat up and loosened his hold on Kai, but the fox whined and looked up at Baekhyun with big, watery eyes. “Uncle, Wufan touch Kai!” He said with a small sniffle, his eyes crossing a little as he glanced down at his red nose. He gingerly touched it and let out a small whimper of pain that tugged on Baekhyun’s heart strings and made him fiercely protective.

  
“So Yifan.” He began, his eyes drifting away from Kai’s injured little nose to Yifan’s slightly guilty face. “You dared to injure my nephew because he wanted to eat one of your chickens?”

  
Yifan paused and he considered his answer. It would be no use lying since he already outed himself, and he couldn’t go back in time to change his story and say that Kai had tripped… The ex-soldier gulped and decided to stick with the truth. “Yes I did.”

  
Baekhyun’s eyes darkened and he glanced down at the chubby little chicken at Yifan’s feet. Xiumin stared him down and Baekhyun was sure the smug little bastard was smirking at him. Yifan stepped in front of Xiumin slowly and he gulped again when Baekhyun met his eyes. “You both better sleep with one eye open tonight.”

 

 

 

 


	7. [KrisKai] Fox Fire 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yifan relives his past in the form of nightmares and he finds that Kai is a blessing in disguise. Unfortunately a new stranger complicates things for him and the fox...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last Fox Fire chapter I have, so enjoy reading!

Fox Fire

Chapter Four

 

_Snow fell from the soft grey sky, the thick flakes swaying gently in the light breeze before it settled atop land, forming breathtaking white peaks on the tops of far off mountains. Yifan pulled the reigns on his horse and slowed to a stop. He took a deep breath and watched the fog billow from his mouth like a little cloud, making a vague shape as it disappeared in the cold morning air._

_“Master Wu, why are we stopping?” A light voice asked. Yifan didn’t have to turn around to see the confused expression on the young boy, Zitao’s face._

_A snowflake landed on Yifan’s face, nearly hitting him in the eye and he sighed as he took in the majestic view of the distant mountains, the normally grey peaks were snowcapped and the top blended into the foggy sky. “You know Zitao, once we reach the city, things will change. It will be full of selfish or desperate people, each one looking out for themselves.” Yifan stopped speaking and he swiped at the drop of water the melted snowflake left behind on his skin. “I do not wish to be involved in political ploys at the palace, but I am willing to do it for a friend. However, does being reluctant to protect someone close to me at the expense of my peace of mind make me a bad person?”_

_Zitao fell quiet and Yifan let out a mirthless chuckle. “I was planning to leave the Imperial Army, forget my name and my crimes, and live a quiet life in my birthplace, but that seems to be the opposite of what the Fate has planned for me.”_

_He didn’t expect an answer and without an explanation for his sudden melancholy, Yifan gave a tired sigh and tightened his hold on his horse’s reigns, prepared to sprint headfirst into his future, whatever it may hold._

_“…Master Wu, wanting to be in control of your own future, even against you friend’s wishes, is something that is something completely selfish.” Yifan froze and he whirled around to face Zitao with surprise evident on his face. The young black haired boy smiled sheepishly. “But it is something that I understand, and rather than viewing it as a flaw, why not look at it as a basic human desire? Something that allows you to believe that there is more to life than your duty. Hope.”_

_Yifan stayed quiet as he observed Zitao. The young boy- no man, had a serious look in his eyes, something that made him seem to possess an older soul. Yifan had found him a few years ago, a twelve year old left wandering the burning remains of his village. He was so thin and his eyes were too large for his face, though they were unbelievably hollow and empty, making him look so much like a haunted waif that some of Yifan’s accompanying men had immediately backed away and held up a few charms and amulets, praying under their breath to the gods._

_Now Zitao was nearing fifteen and over the years, Yifan had watched his face round out and then sharpen, saw his limbs become awkward and gangly, then eventually fill out and stabilize. His eyes had also lost most their wide, innocent roundness, leaving him looking much like the cat Yifan used to tease relentlessly when he was a child._

_“Master Wu?” Zitao asked and Yifan noticed that it resonated with a deeper baritone, something that had escaped Yifan’s notice over the years._

_A sudden breeze picked up, the swirls of fallen snow not yet settled rose up and whipped Zitao’s long black hair in the air like a snake. Irritated, Zitao grabbed the lose strands and began braiding it with swift and dexterous movements, finally tying off the ends with a plain ribbon pulled out of his saddle bag._

_Yifan smiled at the sight, still not knowing the reason that the boy hadn’t cut his hair, even if it was customary for military men to keep it short. They were unlike the lords in the capitol who could afford to take care of it and have it set aside neatly every day, then again they didn’t have to worry about anyone yanking on it and using it to their advantage in battle._

_Shaking off his frivolous thoughts, Yifan looked off in the distance, already seeing the signs of the capitol city at the base of the snowcapped mountains. “We should leave-” Yifan began, but he was interrupted by an arrow whistling through the air, striking his horse and making the animal rear up in fear and drop Yifan onto the ground._

_“It’s an ambush!” One of the soldiers within Yifan’s company shouted. Zitao immediately nudged his horse into a sprint as a volley of arrows rained down on the small squad of soldiers. Yifan lay stunned on the ground for a moment, but he soon rolled up and sprang into a crouch, reaching up to grab Zitao’s hand as he galloped by. “RETREAT! HEAD BACK NOW!!” Yifan shouted back to his men, the few soldiers he left the capitol with were not heavily armed and they were meant to be scouting party. Meaning they were lightly armed and helpless against an unknown number of enemies, who also happened to ambush them in a small pathway carved into a miniscule opening between the mountains surrounding the capitol._

_The Yifan held onto Zitao as the younger man directed the sprinting horse straight out of the pathway that was now a death trap. “How did they know we were here!? We left in the cover of night and only the Emperor knows of the expedition!” Zitao hissed, his words moving with wind and flitting back to Yifan’s ears._

_Yifan was surprised that they were found, but considering the fact that the palace was full of spies and people who wanted to rip the throne from the young Emperor’s hands, they should have expected nothing to stay secret for long._

_“More arrows!” Another soldier in the back shouted, warning those in the front. Yifan looked up and he paled when he saw a ray of flaming arrows, each one soaring straight and high in the sky before they slowed and began falling down to the ground, aimed at the frantically fleeing company of soldiers._

_Desperately, Yifan glanced around, but he saw nothing that could block the volley of arrows, the only thing he could do was urge Zitao to push the horse to move faster._

_Screams and shouts of horror reached Yifan’s ears, but he grit his teeth and refused to look back, knowing that if he did, he would see nothing but the dying men calling for help even as the arrows pierced their bodies and blood flowed from their wounds._

_The horse slowed for a second and Yifan saw Zitao shift, his head turning to look behind him. “Do not look back!” Yifan hissed, his hands tightening his hands on Zitao’s loose furred cloak. The young man hesitated, but he eventually listened, even as a man shouted for Yifan and made the scout leader flinch._

_The opening to the pathway came into view and Yifan and Zitao breathed a sigh of relief, but they soon froze again when a dark mass blocked the way to freedom._

_“M-master Wu, what do w-we do?” Zitao asked hesitantly, slowing the horse to a trot. Yifan looked at the black cloaked soldiers standing in front of them, their banner a fierce red silk embroidered with a golden dragon. Yifan’s gaze hardened and he heard soft panting and gasps behind him. It seemed that some managed to ride fast enough to outrun the deadly arrows, leaving behind those who weren’t as fortunate._

_The horse came to a complete standstill and Yifan slid off without thinking, his hand moving to his side and drawing his sword before his boots even touched the snow. “Now we fight.”_

✿❀✿

 

 

 

Yifan woke up with a jolt, his body moving and his fists flying at the air before he fully woke up. The darkness of the early morning met Yifan’s sight and the man sighed as he ran a hand through his hair, the locks now long enough to fall past his eyes if he didn’t push it back.

_“Grr! Xiu Xiu!”_ Kai mumbled in his sleep and Yifan froze when he felt a warm weight settled on his legs from his seated position on the floor. He flipped the covers up and saw the little fox curled up on his stomach, his arms wound around the ex-soldier’s waist and his legs tangling with Yifan’s as he slept. _‘When the hell did he get here!?’_ Yifan thought wildly as he dared to look up at his bed.

 

 

Baekhyun was sprawled all over the bed, his limbs strewn everywhere with the blanket bunched up around his ankles. The petite male snorted in his sleep and he muttered curses that sounded like they were aimed at Yifan as he turned in his sleep, slipping dangerously close to the edge of the bed.

 

 

Earlier, after they’d eaten dinner and Yifan had shooed Xiumin back to the chicken coup, Baekhyun had claimed Yifan’s bed as his own and he made Kai share it with him, leaving the ex-soldier to sleep on the floor with a sheet laid down and a thin blanket to make use of.

_“Xiu Xiu! No run!”_ Kai let out another growl, his teeth nipping at Yifan in his sleep, catching the drawstring to the man’s sleeping pants and tugging at it with a little growl.

 

 

Yifan flushed red and he quickly reached down, his hands trying to grab the string and yank it away from Kai’s little teeth. However, instead of letting go, Kai’s eyebrows furrowed and he dug his teeth into the thin string and pulled with his teeth. Yifan panicked when his pants began slipping off his hips, Kai’s little huffs of air lowering dangerously into the sensitive area beneath his belly button.

 

 

“H-hey! Kai no!” Yifan said as he used one hand to grab his pants and hold it up while the palm of his other hand shoved at Kai’s forehead. The fox growled again and he mumbled something that suspiciously sounded like _“Xiu Xiu!”_ again.

 

 

“KAI!” Yifan whispered vehemently as he tried to get Kai away from his… dragon. Kai only began chewing the string and Yifan resorted to flicking Kai on the nose again, the little red spot having faded away through the previous evening.

 

 

“Ah!” Kai yelled, his eyes flying open and his body moving back before he even fully woke up.

 

 

“Finally- _wait_ _no_!” Yifan was satisfied that he finally woke him up, yet he watched in horror as Kai reflexively yanked on the string in his mouth while he moved away from Yifan.

 

 

Kai seemed to wake up when Yifan’s pants slid down and he saw _everything_. He gaped a bit and opened his mouth to ask Yifan a question, but the ex-soldier let out a high pitched yelp and he grabbed the blanket and covered himself with it.

_‘Gods! Why did this have to happen to me!?’_ Yifan thought in utter mortification as he avoided Kai’s eyes.

 

 

A russet ear twitched and Kai’s white tipped tail swung curiously behind him. “Wufan…” Kai began, crawling toward the flushed embarrassed older man. “Have eel?” He finally asked as he pawed at Yifan’s lap, his hands trying to get past Yifan’s. “Kai touch.” He finally decided, his tail wriggling playfully behind him as he tried to make it past Yifan’s guard.

 

 

“ _What_!?” Yifan asked incredulously as he fended the playful fox off. Kai’s ears twitched and he looked up at the bed. “Oh, morning Bekhyun!”

 

 

The fox’s uncle was seated on the bed, his face clear of all sleep as he eyed the way both Yifan and Kai had their hands on the ex-soldier’s lap. His ruffled bed head looked ridiculous in the glow of the early dawn, but his glare sent shivers down Yifan’s spine.

 

 

“…What exactly are you two doing?” He asked in a low, suspicious tone.

 

 

Yifan paled and he looked at the fox who was back to pawing curiously at his lap, his hands pressing down and rubbing a bit too vigorously for so early in the morning. Feeling eyes on him, Kai looked up and eyed Yifan questioningly for a few seconds before he turned to his uncle with an excited look on his face. “Wufan have eel like this-” Kai lifted his hands in the air and spaced them a foot apart. “Bigger than Bekhyun and Kai!”

 

 

Baekhyun stared uncomprehendingly at Kai for a few seconds before his eyes darted back to the area that Yifan was holding protectively. He blinked once, then twice- “WHAT!? BIGGER THAN-”

 

 

“Rah! Found eel!” Kai chirped happily when he finally yanked the blanket out of Yifan’s hands. “Now play!” Kai added as Yifan gasped in horror and Baekhyun immediately jumped up, grabbing Kai by the back of his shirt and hauling him away from Yifan before he could grab what he’d been looking for. 

 

 

“NO! My baby, Yifan you _pervert_!” Baekhyun yelled from across the room, one hand wrapped round Kai’s eyes while his other hand covered his own eyes. “Put some damn clothes on!” Kai squirmed in Baekhyun’s arms and he tried moving his uncle’s hands to see Yifan. “No Kai, it’s too early for you to see something so _hideous_!”

 

 

Yifan’s brow ticked and he tried not to be too offended as he scrambled to pull up his pants and tie them again. Once done, Yifan wrapped the blanket around his hips as an extra precaution. “It’s safe to look now.”

 

 

Baekhyun cautiously peeked through his fingers and once he saw that Yifan was sufficiently clothed, he let Kai go. The fox blinked and he looked at Yifan in disappointment. “No play?” He asked.

 

 

Yifan flushed again at the thought of the fox ever touching him with his small hands, looking up at him with big innocent eyes and a small smile on his full lips-

 

 

“Hey! What the hell did you think you were doing to my nephew you lascivious creep! Is it a custom for soldiers to molest foxes!?” Baekhyun shouted, taking short angry steps in Yifan’s direction as Kai pouted and mumbled something under his breath.

 

 

“Baekhyun, I wasn’t doing anything! When I woke up, Kai was on top of me-” Yifan tried to defend, but Baekhyun interrupted him with a scoff.

 

 

“ _Lies_! Next you’re going to tell me that Kai undressed you!” He Yelled.

 

 

Yifan eyed Kai from out of the corner of his eyes, but the fox was busy eyeing Yifan’s wrapped crotch.

 

 

 _‘Aish, he will be the death of me!’_ Yifan thought as Baekhyun scolded him with loud shouts and Kai made a mess of his house, digging through everything curiously. Ever since he met the two, his peaceful farm life had been disrupted and he was left feeling overwhelmed.

 

 

 

✿❀✿

 

 

 

Kai hummed as he crouched in the grass, his tail lifting high over the reeds and wriggling as he eyed Xiu Xiu from across the meadow. _‘Food, food! Eat Xiu Xiu!’_ He thought in glee as Wufan the farmer, not hunter, threw chicken feed on the ground. Xiu Xiu clucked happily and strode closer to Kai’s hiding spot.

 

 

“ _Graahh_!” Kai growled as he jumped up from the grass and pounced one Xiu-

 

 

“Oh no you don’t.” ~~Wufan~~ Yifan said as he grabbed Kai around the waist before he could attack the chubby chicken. “Leave Xiumin alone Kai.”

 

 

The fox whined and he stared longingly at the chicken who clucked at him smugly and strutted away from him. “Wuuufffaaannn!!! Kai eat Xiu Xiu!”

 

 

Yifan sighed and he tightened his hold on Kai. “You can’t eat Xiumin.” Kai wriggled and Yifan felt the fox’s tail thump against his back in irritation.

 

 

Yifan was outside, needing to escape Baekhyun after having been yelled and cursed at earlier. Naturally Kai followed him and Baekhyun was left in Yifan’s home by himself, busying himself with cleaning and generally digging through Yifan’s things, as Kai had done ealier.

 

 

“Hungry! Eat Xiu Xiu!” Kai yelled, drawing Yifan’s attention back to him. The farmer sighed and he put Kai down, but before the fox could bound off after Xiumin, he grabbed the base of Kai’s tail.

 

 

“Ah! Wufan!” Kai called out, a small shudder running through his body as he became pliant in Yifan’s grip. Surprised, Yifan tightened his grip and watched as Kai fell onto his elbows, his back arched obscenely before Yifan. “W-Wufan, w-what-” He asked in confusion, looking back at Yifan in confusion, a red flush high on his cheeks and his eyes glazed over a bit. “H-hot!”

 

 

Yifan took in the sight and his mind blanked out for a second before his thoughts became plagued with very indecent images of Kai-

 

 

“HEY, NO TOUCHING!” Baekhyun yelled from Yifan’s house and the farmer flinched before he dropped Kai’s tail and scrambled away from the dazed fox. His heart almost beat out of his chest and he felt flustered for some reason. He was used to seeing Kai’s expressive face, but that expression…it was _different_.

 

 

Kai lay slumped in the grass and his chest heaved a bit before he got up and crawled to Yifan, a strange look in his eyes. “Wufan, again!” He called, his eyes dark, flush still high on his cheeks. Yifan gulped and watched as Kai’s red lips parted, his tongue darting out to the corner of his mouth, not minding when his fang nicked his tongue. “Touch Kai.”

 

 

Yifan leaned back and Kai crawled forward and he vaguely noted that Kai looked like a predator chasing prey. The normally innocent and cute fox looked sensual, with his mussed hair falling into his eyes and his wide neck shirt falling open, exposing smooth tan skin and a light flush that matched his cheeks.

 

 

Soon Kai finally reached Yifan and he suddenly changed his demeanor, letting out a happy purr as he nudged his head under Yifan’s chin, his ears brushing the underside of his jaw softly.

 

 

“Touch Kai!” He whined as he grabbed one of Yifan’s hands and placed it by his ears. Yifan’s fingers automatically curled around the silky appendages and he gave it a light rub that had Kai purring louder and nuzzling his nose into his neck. He hummed when Yifan stayed pliant and he grabbed hold of his other arm, lowering it to his swishing tail in excitement. 

 

 

Yifan’s hand twitched and thoughts of the way Kai reacted earlier flashed through his mind. “W-wait, no touching!” He parroted Baekhyun’s warning, pushing Kai away and standing up, furiously blushing and trying to hide it.

 

 

Kai flopped onto the grass without Yifan to lie on and he let out a small disgruntled noise before he rose up to his elbows and looked up at Yifan with a small pout on his lips. “ _No_ eat Xiu Xiu and _no_ touch Kai! Wufan _stupid_!” Kai complained, his large eyes narrowing and his small white fangs baring in a small snarl at Yifan. He’d bet Xiumin’s life that Kai thought he looked scary, but the effect was kind of ruined when he had a blade of grass stuck to his cheek and a smudge of dirt on his forehead.

 

 

Yifan couldn’t find it within himself to even be mildly offended at Kai’s weak threats and insults. In fact, he withheld an amused chuckle, getting over his initial shock and embarrassment at finding Kai’s weakness as he reached down to help the fox up. “Yeah, yeah, you sound like Baekhyun. Now get up.”

 

 

Kai rolled onto his back and snapped his small teeth at Yifan’s hand. He huffed and crossed his arms across his chest when Yifan dodged his teeth. “No, Wufan stupid.” Kai said, his face completely serious as he wriggled around on the ground, a relieved expression crossing his face when his tail sprang up from under him.

 

 

Yifan’s amusement faded and he sighed again. _‘Why are Baekhyun and Kai so difficult and dramatic!?’_ Yifan looked at the fox lying on the ground and his eyebrow twitched when the carefree fox trailed a butterfly with his eyes, too content ignoring Yifan to get up and chase it just yet. _‘Forget it. I’ll just feed the cows and the sheep, then-’_

_“Wu Yifan!?”_ A deep voice called out incredulously. Surprised, Yifan turned away from Kai and he noticed a stranger standing at the edge of the trail leading to his home.

 

 

Frowning, Yifan straightened to his full height and he regarded the man with a suspicious gaze. He was nearly as tall as Yifan was, though his limbs lacked the real strength and grace that Yifan as a trained fighter had. The tall man also had a headful of wild curly hair that fell into his eyes and covered the tops of his large ears. Yifan didn’t recognize him, and he opened his mouth to tell him so, completely forgetting the fact that there was a Gumiho behind him, now pretending to hunt a butterfly. “Yes, I’m Yifan. Who are you?”

 

 

The man ignored the question, but his expression completely changed to one of shock and a little bit of wonder as he looked at Kai, or more specifically, his tail. “W-what it that!?” He stuttered, his long legs easily taking him closer to Yifan and Kai.

_‘Shit!’_ Yifan thought as he whirled around in a panic. It was too late to hide Kai now that the stranger had already seen him. _‘Damn, what if he tells everyone about Kai!? We’ll be hunted down and killed like game for wild dogs!’_

 

 

Kai’s ears flicked and he stopped batting at the flying orange and black winged insect long enough to notice another giant standing next to Yifan. “Oh Wufan, human!” He said, pointing at the curly haired young man, not noticing the awed look in his eyes when he stared at his ears and tail.

 

 

“ _Kai_ , go inside now! Hide with Baekhyun and don’t come out until I say to, alright?” Yifan stated his question as a rough demand and Kai looked surprised at the level of authority dripping off the man who usually let Kai climb all over him. The ex-soldier ignored him as he turned back to the unknown stranger, his body easily moving into a familiar fighting stance. _‘I can’t erase his memory, but I can subdue him long enough to get Baekhyun and Kai out of here!’_

 

 

Yifan’s shift in demeanor had the stranger looking at him uneasily. “Umm…what are you g-going to do?” He asked, backing away from Yifan slightly as Kai listened to the ex-soldier for once and darted inside the small house, calling for Baekhyun.

 

 

Yifan ignored the stranger’s question and he mentally calculated the time and distance it would take for him to slip past the other’s guard and strike him hard enough to knock him out in one blow. Faint memories resurfaced and Yifan felt a little overwhelmed, it’d been a while since he last fought and it was not something he ever wanted to remember ever again. Taking a deep breath, Yifan cleared his mind and he focused on his target, the stranger who had seen Kai and could also potentially harm the fox and his annoying uncle. _‘It’s now or never-’_

 

 

“PARK CHANYEOL!!” A light voice called and Yifan hesitated to strike, allowing the stranger a chance to slip past him and run toward his home. Alarmed, Yifan whirled around and struck his foot out, effectively tripping the man and giving the ex-soldier a chance to settle his weight on the man’s back, his hands quickly moving to twist the stranger’s arms back over his shoulder blades. The odd angle caused the man’s right shoulder dislocate and Yifan counted the maneuver a success when a scream of pain reached his ears.

 

 

“What the hell are you doing!? Yifan get _off_ Chanyeol!” Baekhyun yelled, quickly running out of the house and pushing a surprised Yifan away from the poor boy groaning in pain on the ground.

 

 

Kai poked his head out from the safety of the house and he looked at Yifan questioningly. “Human hunter?” He asked, his head tilting to the side as his tail swiped at the now spotless floor of Yifan’s house.

 

 

Yifan didn’t answer the fox, but he stood up and dusted himself off, a scowl etched into his features as he crossed his arms and growled at Baekhyun. “Mind explaining how this, _Chanyeol_ , knows where I live and who I am, but looks as if he has never seen Kai before?”

 

 

Baekhyun at least had the decency to look a little flustered as he helped Chanyeol stand. Yifan clenched his jaw and he watched the petite male struggle a bit to hold the taller man up. “Ah well, I kind of always complain about you to him?” Baekhyun finally answered, passing Kai when he brought Chanyeol into Yifan’s house as if here were a guest.

 

 

Kai curiously eyed Chanyeol and he leaned a bit close to the curly haired brunette to take in his strange scent. The village boy stood still and calm as Kai observed him, though Yifan saw his fingers twitch when he eyed the fox’s ears. Cautiously Kai leaned closer to the man and Yifan practically saw Chanyeol’s restraint crumble before his hand shot forward and he began petting Kai’s ears and cooing at the surprised fox. “Wow, you’re so pretty! And your ears are so soft!”

 

 

Yifan saw Kai’s wide eyes and he moved to get the village boy off him, but he stopped when a brilliant smile broke out on Kai’s face and he nuzzled into Chanyeol’s hand, a loud purr and little pleased hums falling from his lips at Chanyeol’s attentive hands and breathy awed compliments.

 

 

Baekhyun laughed and he fondly patted Chanyeol’s back as he left him to his own devices and went to make tea, making use of Yifan’s home as if it were his own. “Have a seat Chanyeol, I’m sure that Kai would like to get better acquainted with you.” The normally protective uncle said politely, a complete opposite of the way he crudely ordered Yifan around.

 

 

“O-okay, let’s go beautiful!” Yifan scowled when Kai happily followed Chanyeol and made himself comfortable on his lap, soaking up all the praise and attention from the tall man with the deep voice, curly hair, and big ears.

_‘Tch! They act like he’s something special!’_ Yifan thought as he stomped his way inside his own home, intent on using his charms to win the fox back from the thieving elf man. After all, Kai was always begging _him_ for attention, wasn’t he?

 

 

“Hey you primitive bastard, take your muddy boots off at the door!” Baekhyun shouted at him angrily.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year everyone! 
> 
> Fox fire has gotten such sweet comments and I'd like to thank everyone who bothered to comment and tell me that they liked my story, it means a lot :3


	8. [SeKai, KaiSoo] Hey Officer!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Officer Do Kyungsoo gets called in for a domestic disturbance. This is not what he was expecting.

**Hey Officer!**

 

**Pairing: SeKai, KaiSoo**

**Summary: Officer Do Kyungsoo gets called in for a domestic disturbance. This is not what he was expecting.**

**Notes: Okay, muscled Kyungsoo in a tight police uniform, omg**

**And SeKai, ft. Jealous husband and fighting over my bias, enjoy ;)**

 

 

**Another Note: Mpreg and a reference to abuse. Its nothing too bad, though this is some of the most raunchy stuff I've ever written**

 

 

 

" _Dispatch to Officer Do, come in._ " The static crackle made Kyungsoo sigh and immediately turn a knob on the radio dial of his patrol car.

"This is Officer Do." He replied, waiting for the receptionist to respond with orders. He would probably have go bust another New Year's Eve party and he was _not_ looking forward to it.

" _Officer Do, a domestic dispute has been called in near Gangnam. The suspect is a blonde male, Asian, presumed to be 181cm, slim build. Residents believe that the disturbance in the apartment is the suspect abusing his partner, male, and heavily pregnant."_

Kyungsoo set his lips in a grim line and he revved the engine of the police car, switching on the lights and alarm as soon as possible. "I'm on my way." He said and the receptionist made a note of it before the radio cut off.

 _'I hope I get there in time_ ,' Kyungsoo thought anxiously, a baby's life was on the line and he couldn't ever forgive himself if he arrived too late and something bad happened.

 

 

 

❊❊❊❊❊

 

 

 

Kyungsoo didn't know exactly what he was expecting when he entered apartment 303 of a posh looking building located in the outskirts of Gangnam.

But it certainly wasn't this.

"How _dare_ you Oh Sehun! I fucking hate you!" A red faced male shouted. He hurled something small at the cowering man in the corner, with the exact description of the perpetrator Kyungsoo had intended to arrest.

"Jongin, baby, please-" He ducked when something else was hurled at him by the heaving pregnant male.

"So now you're calling me baby!? What the hell happened to _pig!?"_ Jongin screeched and despite the crystalline tears of anger and exertion in the corner of his eyes, he was radiant. He looked like an an angry god, with his perfect flushed skin, pursed red lips, and small button nose. Kyungsoo almost felt drawn to the man, but then the pregnant man caught sight of him and his pretty brown eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Who the fuck are you shortie?" He asked and he paused in his assault on his husband long enough to place a hand on his lower back for support, his free hand moving to unconsciously cradle his swollen stomach.

Clearing his throat nervously, Kyungsoo flashed his badge and adjusted his police cap. "I'm Officer Do, I believe your neighbors called in about a suspicious domestic dispute." He explained, his eyes raking over the form of the irate pregnant man before his attention was drawn to the blonde, Sehun, huddled in the corner, the couch tipped on its side and various glass debris littering the floor.

"Do you mind explaining what's going on here?" Kyungsoo asked obviously, he felt a little dumb for it, but it was something near mandatory when when working for the police force. He had to gather all personal accounts before he judged the situation and took away the offender.

"This _asshole,"_ The pregnant male growled, glaring at Sehun. "Has just told me that I looked like a fat ass! And we were ready to go out, who the fuck does that!? And he had the nerve to insult me when he made me this way, it's all his fault!"

Sehun frowned and even looked a little offended as he stood up, the couch still a barrier between him and Jongin. "Hey! That's not what I said!" He protested and when Jongin shot him a sharper look, he ducked back down and took cover, muttering under his breath. " _I just said he looked like he had a fat ass in those jeans! What the hell!!"_

Kyungsoo pretended he didn't hear that, but he could feel his face getting a little hot as he fought to keep his eyes from roaming Jongin's form to see if Sehun was right. It was beyond immoral to ogle someone else's husband, a pregnant one at that.

So Kyungsoo decided to shake off all indecent thoughts and actually do his job. "Sir, I am going to have to ask you to calm down before I will be forced to restrain you." His threat made Jongin do a slow perusal of his body. Kyungsoo could tell from this distance that both Sehun and Jongin were taller than him, however working in the line of duty 24/7 had given him a stocky and muscular build.

Apparently the the time he spent at work was not lost on Jongin, whose eyes widened and lingered over his toned biceps and strong forearms. Jongin's pupils dialed just a little and he bit his bottom lip before releasing the teased flesh again, this time redder and shinier than before.

"Is that a promise _Officer Do_?" Jongin purred, his anger gone in the blink of an eye and replaced with the vixen smirking at him and stepping closer with swaying hips.

Startled, Kyungsoo stuttered out a response in a flustered tone that was completely out of character for him. "O-of course, I do take honor very seriously."

"Good, you can take my _honor,"_ Jongin easily replied, his voice dropping to a sultry drawl when he finally reached Kyungsoo. "You know, I always did have a thing for men in uniform." Lithe fingers tapped the skin of his forearm and the naughty little digits traveled up to circle Kyungsoo's thick bicep.

 _'Oh my god, what's happening right now!?'_ Kyungsoo internally panicked, his senses zinging with Jongin standing before him, party makeup not messed up in the least from all the activity earlier. Catching his eyes, Jongin gave Kyungsoo a little smile and the police officer could feel his heartbeat excelerate and his blood begin rushing through his veins, carving out a straight path down below his waist-

"Hey! No touching," Sehun interrupted, and as if he were a ghost, he appeared out of thin air directly behind Jongin.

The pregnant male huffed and he dropped his hands to his side before he whirled angrily on Sehun. "Why the hell are you not repenting in the corner!? I'm still pissed at you!"

Sehun ignored his husband, choosing instead to glare down at Kyungsoo from over a halo of brown curls. "That doesn't mean you can go around flirting with random owls! You're _my_ husband." The last statement was punctuated when Sehun wrapped his long arms around Jongin's slightly smaller body, pulling him away from Kyungsoo possessively.  
  
Jongin growled something about not belonging to anyone as he attempted to mover out of the iron circle of his blonde husband's arms. Unfortunately, Jongin wasn't as strong as he liked to think he was and all he ended up achieving was pushing out his butt and accidentally grinding on Kyungsoo.

The friction was tantalizing and Kyungsoo was almost afraid to look down, just the feel of plump flesh on his standard uniform pants was enough to make him want to take up religion. (Because _God Damn,_ Sehun wasn't lying, at all)

Unfortunately for Kyungsoo, Jongin for all his earlier seduction, could also be incredibly dense.

"Officer Do, move your baton, it's poking me too hard!" Jongin's pouty demand wasn't unnoticed by Sehun, who froze and then looked down between the mortified officer and his pregnant husband.

Kyungsoo gulped when Sehun drew up to his full height, all 181 cm of blonde, jealous husband. "I will _end_ you." Sehun spat out, his dark eyebrows drawn so low over his furious eyes that he almost looked half lidded.

Kyungsoo barely had a chance to move back before Sehun lunged, though as he did so, Jongin managed to turn around in his hold and the officer saw a flash of wide brown before all three men tumbled to the ground in a heap.

 _'Argh, so heavy!'_ Kyungsoo thought and a sharp elbow to the side had him twisting in agony, except a small whimper had his eyes flying open and his protective instincts flaring up.

Jongin was on top of him, his nose nearly touching Kyungsoo's. "Ow, fuck," Jongin muttered darkly, not sparing Kyungsoo so much as a glance before he turned to scowl at his husband and smack him away. "Sehun you hard headed ass! You nearly broke my back!"

A grunt from behind Jongin had Kyungsoo looking up to see Sehun's frowning face pop up over Jongin's shoulder. It was probably a little late, but Kyungsoo just now noticed that Sehun had his arms braced on the floor on either side of Kyungsoo's head. He was effectively trapped under the couple, but with another shift, Jongin's soft thighs and rounded stomach had him almost hyperventilating again.

"You've never complained when I had you screaming into a pillow!" Sehun replied petulantly.

Jongin blushed and the sight of it was so endearing and cute that Kyungsoo was tempted to squish him to his chest in a bear hug.

"Yeah well, that was different, now I'm carrying _your_ little monster," Jongin moved to look back down at his stomach, ignoring Sehun behind him, but he paused when he realized that he was sitting on top of Kyungsoo and straddling him.

"Well now this is giving me flash backs," Jongin hummed, letting the hands he had resting on Kyungsoo's chest roam the area freely. Hard muscle twitched under his finger tips and Kyungsoo felt a red flush make its way from his cheeks to his neck. Jongin smiled mischievously at the sight and he squeezed his thighs around the officer's narrow hips.

 _"Ooh_ Officer Do, you have a _really_ nice body..." Jongin said in a breathlessly teasing voice, almost sounding as if he were moaning as he subtly rubbed on Kyungsoo.

 _'I think the fall killed me and now I'm in heaven, or hell._ ' Kyungsoo thought, gritting his teeth in an effort to not buck his hips when Jongin let his own hips work in small circles over his crotch.

"Fucking hell, I said _no_ touching!" Sehun shouted, his voice such an interruption that Kyungsoo felt as if ice water were poured straight onto his face. He didn't know whether he wanted to praise the man or throttle him for interrupting.

Jongin huffed and he stopped moving. "Will you stop being such a cock block?" He asked Sehun, his eyes pointedly trailing down to Kyungsoo's prone form on the floor before he met his husbands dark eyes again.

"What!? Are you saying that you're going to cheat on me, _Oh_ Jongin!?" Sehun's furious expression melted away to one of hurt and he looked like such a kicked puppy that Kyungsoo felt bad for tempting Jongin. Though to be fair, the DILF was the one coming on to him.

Jongin gasped and he looked so sad and a little offended. "Sehun, baby, I would never do that to you!" Sehun met his eyes and he looked hopeful. "Really? Even when I sometimes shove my foot in my mouth and act like a kid even though I'm twenty four?"

Jongin nodded quickly, his hair and body bouncing with the vigorous movement. "Of course! I vowed to do all that and more when I married you Sehunnie." They were making such sickly sweet eyes at one another that Kyungsoo began to feel uncomfortable. In hindsight, he wished that he'd let Zitao take over his district a month ago. He probably wouldn't have been in this situation then.

Sehun's eyes darted down to Jongin's lips and the pregnant male caught the action, turning his head up and parting them invitingly. As if drawn closer by some invisible force, Sehun leaned in and-

Kyungsoo sneezed, his body tensing under Jongin's thighs and rounded belly.

With a sudden embarrassed squeak, Jongin flew back and scrambled away from Kyungsoo, colliding with Sehun and taking his husband back down with him.

A crack sounded in the room, along with Sehun's groan of pain and another one of Jongin's whimpers. Kyungsoo sat up quickly, only to see Sehun clutching his nose and Jongin rubbing the top of his head gently, the little tears gathered in the corner of his eyes making Kyungsoo wince in sympathy pain.

However, Jongin was the first to recover and he made soothing little cooing noises as his hands fluttered around Sehun's slightly swollen nose. Jongin was now seated in Sehun's lap and despite the small injury, Sehun was reveling in his husband's attention and secretly sending Kyungsoo smug looks from over Jongin's head.

Kyungsoo sighed and flopped back onto the floor of the couple's apartment. ' _I'm definitely taking the Chief up on his paid vacation offer when I get back.'_

 

 

 


	9. [KrisKai] The Devil's Angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kris was the name of an upstanding citizen. He was a well-respected cop, engaged to be married to the love of his life. That all went up in flames.
> 
> Now, a man named Wu Yifan rules quietly from the shadows. With no other purpose in life, he is content to stay in the dark for the sake of an old friend, but what happens when an angel appears to save the devil?

**The Devil’s Angel**

  
**Summary: Kris was the name of an upstanding citizen. He was a well-respected cop, engaged to be married to the love of his life. That all went up in flames.**  
**Now, a man named Wu Yifan rules quietly from the shadows. With no other purpose in life, he is content to stay in the dark for the sake of an old friend, but what happens when an angel appears to save the devil?**

  
**Notes: ~~I never know what to say in these things…~~**  
**~~Anyway, I tried to get things in life situated while I was on writing hiatus. Needless to say, nothing goes as planned. So here I am with another story that I may or may not keep updating regularly.~~ **  
**~~Please enjoy reading, and do comment! :3~~ **  
  


**I found this in my old folder, I think I wrote this earlier last year...and just as a heads up, there is violence in this chapter.**

 

Chapter One

Blood splattered in an upward arch as a head of light hair tilted back. A cough sputtered forth from split red lips. “You bastard!” The tied up man on the floor managed to bite out, glaring fiercely up at the tall man before him.

 

“I’d heard of the ruthless devil Wu Yifan, but-“  
Another punch shut up the talkative man. A pained groan met Yifan’s ears, but the tall man merely watched apathetically as the petite male on the floor groaned in pain as he spit out the blood in his mouth. “Will you fucking stop!? I make a living with this face!” The male on the floor said indignantly.

 

  
Yifan scoffed at the man. “Your livelihood will not be compromised with a busted lip.” He said as he used his booted foot to pin the tied up man to the floor.

 

  
“Easy for a thug like you to say,” The man on the floor began, his face twisted in badly concealed pain. “You don’t have to use your lips to get by!” Fierce dark eyes met Yifan’s and the dark haired male took a moment to admire the inner strength of the dyed-blonde prostitute he was interrogating. Usually, he’d have the kidnaped targets on the floor crying their eyes out and begging him not to kill them by now.

 

  
‘ _Still, he needs to talk…_ ’ Yifan thought as he viciously kicked the blonde in the ribs cutting of what he was going to say. “Shut up.” He said in a calm tone, completely contrasting what he was thinking. He had time to gather information from the man in other ways.  
The man on the floor shot him a dirty look that Yifan read as ‘ _fuck off’_ with a raised brow. “Luhan, I want to make a deal with you.”

 

  
A jaded laugh came from the man on the floor and Yifan watched him with his signature expression of indifference. Luhan did not seem too fazed that the tall male knew his name. “You want me to make a deal with the devil?”

 

  
Yifan let a wry smirk adorn his lips as he eyed Luhan. “It is your decision.”

 

  
“Like I have a choice.”

 

 

  
-✟☬✟-

 

 

 

“Sir, Mr. Kim has requested your presence in his office.” A cool, clipped tone said once Yifan entered the door of EX Industries.  
Yifan ignored the secretary and made his way to the elevators with a languid walk. He was expecting Minseok to call him in to check on his progress with the recent troubles involving XO. The other company was quickly making an enemy of Minseok, and though the petite man preferred to make foreign relations in favor of his company; there was just something undeniably maddening about the Korean company.

 

Maybe it had something to do with the ever calm and indifferent leader, Junmyeon. The mysterious man was not falling for Minseok’s wide-eyed innocent act, nor was he falling for any of Minseok’s usually tricky deals and expedient contracts.

 

  
The elevator made a soft ringing noise when it came to a stop at the top floor of the company, pulling Yifan from his thoughts. The tall man quickly fixed his attire in the shiny mirrored walls of the elevator and strode into his boss’ office.

 

  
Kim Minseok, or Xiumin as he was known before he became a legitimate businessman, was sitting at his desk when Yifan entered the room. His dark hair was neatly parted to one side, though a few errant locks managed to sweep over his eyes, making him look much younger than he was.

 

“Ah, Yifan.” Minseok said casually, as if he weren’t expecting the taller male to have arrived so soon after he called for him.  
Yifan ignored the greeting as he sat on the chair in front of Minseok’s desk, immediately making himself comfortable with his hands clasped in front of his abdomen.

 

“You called?” Yifan drawled lowly from his slumped position on the chair, his eyes half lidded and his posture deceptively relaxed. He would have put his feet up on his boss’ desk, but the last time he’d done that, Minseok had almost shot his foot off.

 

  
Minseok sighed as he allowed his shoulders to slump slightly. “Yes, I needed to speak with you about the recent altercations with XO.” The petite male ran a hand through his hair in frustration as he reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a slim pack of cigarettes. Yifan didn’t say anything about his boss’ habit, though he frowned in distaste and wondered what could have made his boss stressed enough to smoke in front of him.

 

  
“What about them?” Yifan asked, watching as Minseok lit the cigarette and placed the end into his mouth.

 

  
“Did you manage to gather anything from Suho’s whore?” Minseok asked as he exhaled a cloud of smoke into Yifan’s face. The baby-faced young man had recently taken to using street names to address his more…unsavory business partners. ‘ _Better safe than sorry’_ he once said when Yifan asked why he didn’t just say whatever the hell he wanted. He was proven right to be suspicious when Yifan found a mole in the company a day later.

 

  
Yifan steeled his expression and focused on relaying what he’d found out to his boss. “His name is Luhan.” He said, ignoring Minseok’s raised brow. He didn’t exactly approve of people working in what some would call the world’s oldest profession, but Yifan wasn’t as rude or adverse as Minseok. He couldn’t exactly afford to be high and mighty, considering his late mother was in the same profession as Luhan. “And yes I did gather something useful from Luhan. He was able to tell me that XO plans to have a meeting of all the shareholders in Seoul next week.”

 

  
Minseok stayed silent, his expression pensive as he smoked his cigarette and glanced at the clock hanging on the wall over Yifan’s head. “That gives us-” he began, pausing to inhale and exhale more smoke before he spoke again. “-144 hours to decide whether to take them up on their plans for a merge or to start a war.”

 

 

 

-✟☬✟-

 

 

 

Yifan sighed in content as he rested his aching body on the soft mattress in his large penthouse apartment. Large wall to wall windows lined the side of one wall and Yifan was glad he allowed Minseok to force him out of his old home, which was considerably less…luxurious.

 

  
A crash had Yifan bolting up, his hand already on the inside of his jacket, pulling out his favored weapon- a .22 caliber silver gun he allowed himself to splurge on despite his minimalistic tendencies.

 

  
Another crash had the tall young man cautiously making his way into the neglected kitchen of his upscale home. ‘ _How did they get in here?_ ’ Yifan thought to himself in question. His home was not the easiest place to enter without alerting any security guards or tripping up any alarms, which was a feat in itself considering the fact that he lived on the top floor and all the guards on the first floor knew his habits.

 

  
Yifan paused when was at the corner of the kitchen, the wall braced against his shoulder with his gun clutched in his hands and his arms near his chest. He could hear shuffling in the other room, along with a pained grunt as what sounded like glass hit the floor.

 

Yifan took a silent deep breath as he quickly whirled over the corner of the kitchen and held his gun in front of him, loaded and ready to shoot.

 

“Don’t move-!” Yifan shouted, only to stop and watch wide eyed as the figure slowly stood up. “What the _hell!?”_ He breathed out, still not quite believing his eyes.

 

  
“Hell?” The intruder asked in a smooth, deep voice. Large dark eyes met Yifan’s and the tall male fell still in shock. Smooth, tan skin was visible everywhere, lightly covering soft muscle and Yifan was sure it was perfect; however it was marred by a thin trail of blood at the moment.

 

  
The blood ran in a slim rivulet form the hands of the unknown, naked man in Yifan’s kitchen. ‘ _That looks like it hurts…_ ’ Yifan vaguely registered in his mind, but he was too busy ogling the other male’s headful of shock white hair. The soft peaks framed his face and fell lightly into his dark eyes, but what had Yifan vaguely questioning his sanity were the pristine, white wings peeking up over the tanned male’s golden skin, the contrasting colors making the unknown male even more beautiful.

 

  
“What the fuck _are_ you?”

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm running out of things to post, but I will now take requests! 
> 
> Just comment a Kai pairing and a summary of what you want written. Add any additional notes as necessary  
> (　･∀･)b　ＯＫ！


	10. A Question

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fox Fire continuation?

 

 

 

**I have posted the last of all the prewritten Fox Fire I have ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ**

**But everyone actually seems to like it, even if KrisKai isn't too popular to anyone but meh (*^▽^*)**

**Lol, anyway, editing these chapters and rereading had me remembering what I wanted to do with the story. I had so much fluff in mind with a KrisKai semi date in the village, some ChanKai verses BaekKai, more character intros, details of Yifan's past, and just general mushy fan service crap that I can't get enough of.**

**So comment if you're for the revival of a separate and whole chaptered Fox Fire fic! (　･∀･)b　ＯＫ！**

 

 


	11. [ChanKai] Good Kitty (Bad Kitty)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chanyeol’s writing is interrupted and he is punished by his neglected and angry kitty hybrid Jongin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ⊙▃⊙

**GOOD KITTY (BAD KITTY)**

 

  
**Pairing: ChanKai**

  
**Summary: Chanyeol’s writing is interrupted and he is punished by his neglected and angry kitty hybrid Jongin.**

  
**Notes: Oh my god, I did it. I wrote smut, holy shit ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ**

 

**Warning: hybrid!AU, Kitty Jongin, smut, hyung kink, rimming, etc.**

 

 

 

 

 

“Hyung! Hyung, hyung, _hyung_!” Jongin whined, each word punctuated with a poke in Chanyeol’s cheek.

  
Pushing his reading glasses back into place, Chanyeol didn’t bother to look away from his work. “Jongin, what did I say about quiet time?”

  
The older male didn’t have to look to know that the hybrid was pouting, his lips probably red from all the strawberry candy he ate earlier. “But hyung—”

  
“No.” Chanyeol interrupted, his fingers never once pausing for a break as they flew over the keyboard of his laptop. The late evening was when he felt the need to write most, he assumed it had something to do with the change of time, when the day gave way to night and the hustle and noise slowly died down as it grew darker. Working as a writer was something that Chanyeol never saw himself doing when he grew up, but an entire bestselling series later and he stayed at home working permanently. His writing paid well enough for him to quit his previous job and while Chanyeol was happy that he had such a non-demanding job, he still had deadlines to meet and stories to purge from his head.

  
A flick of Jongin’s thick fluffy tail blocked his computer screen from view and with a sigh, Chanyeol looked at the demanding hybrid. “Fine, what is it that you want?” He finally settled for asking, knowing full well that if he continued to ignore the kitty, he’d have to deal with a sulky Jongin for days on end.

  
Jongin’s ear twitched, the white triangular appendage matching his silver hair perfectly. He was a pretty prize, bought from an upper class breeder when Chanyeol made his first successful book sale. “I want to know what you’re planning for my birthday hyung.” His expectant coal eyes never strayed from Chanyeol and the older man raised an eyebrow and acted nonchalant with the hybrid.

  
“Oh? And what makes you think that I have anything planned?” He asked, taking off his glasses and blinking as his eyes adjusted. The daylight was fading fast and the large windows in the living room of the penthouse he shared with Jongin let in colorful rays of neon city lights. The colors were reflected in Jongin’s silvery coat and hair, and the array of reds, pinks, and blues played well within his coal colored eyes.

  
“Hyung, you’ve been ignoring me lately,” Jongin said with a huff, his cheeks puffing and making him look so cute that Chanyeol was tempted to lean in and kiss him. But he was busy and he knew that if he gave in immediately, Jongin wouldn’t let him go for the rest of the night. “And for that, you'd _better_ be planning something big on my birthday to make up for my emotional distress.” Jongin continued, his fluffy tail flicking up and down behind him in irritation.

  
Smirking, Chanyeol let his right hand stray from the keyboard so that he could gently tug on one of Jongin’s soft white ears. “ _Emotional distress_? You act as if I didn’t just go out with you to buy a store’s worth of junk with Sehun.” Sehun was one of the hybrids that liked to monopolize Jongin’s time and spend Chanyeol’s money. And the writer always caved into the younger duo, even though he knew that he should have Sehun’s owner pay for his things, Suho _did_ make more money than him.

  
“It wasn’t junk!” Jongin’s lips jutted out further and he grabbed his own tail, combing his fingers through the soft and shiny fur. “And besides,” He said, “You didn’t even bother to look at all the clothes I tried on!” The hybrid released his tail and Chanyeol watched as the fluffy appendage whipped back and forth in irritation again. He didn’t notice before, but Jongin had tied a pink ribbon on the end, a butterfly bow keeping a little golden bell in place and with every flick of his tail, it made a small tinkling noise.

  
“Hyung,” Jongin growled in frustration and Chanyeol raised his eyes to see his hybrid glaring at him, his coal eyes narrowed into slits. He looked very angry and Chanyeol felt guilty, it took a lot for the kitten to get angry, but somehow he found himself displeasing the hybrid every other week. “Pay attention to me!” Jongin’s voice pulled Chanyeol from his musings and the writer only had enough time to press a shortcut key on his laptop to save his work before Jongin was pushing his laptop aside and sliding into place on his lap.

  
Chanyeol could do no more than hold onto Jongin’s hips in his surprise, but the angry hybrid was too busy nipping along his neck and jaw to notice. “I’m tired of you pushing me aside all the time,” Jongin said, biting Chanyeol on the soft spot just under his Adam’s apple. Chanyeol hissed and squeezed the ample flesh of Jongin’s hips in retaliation for the sharp sting.

  
“I’ve been good and understanding,” Jongin continued, licking a stripe up the expanse of Chanyeol’s neck and stopping to suck a harsh bruise on the corner of his owner’s jaw. “But there’s only so much I can take, hyung!”

  
Chanyeol let Jongin work out his frustration, thinking back to the past few weeks. Working on a new book, Chanyeol hadn’t really though of doing anything else and it was just now that he realized he was ignoring Jongin. It was true that he spent all day in with Jongin, but Chanyeol rarely ventured outside his home office, and when he did, it was only to eat or to focus on his laptop.

  
Feeling bad, Chanyeol discreetly dodged Jongin’s second bite and pulled the hybrid down into an embrace. “I’m sorry Jonginnie,” He apologized, feeling Jongin stiffen and then relax in his hold. “I have been a terrible hyung lately haven’t I?”

  
Huffing, Jongin nuzzled into Chanyeol’s neck and left a tiny bite there. It didn’t hurt, but he followed the action with a light peck, “And a terrible boyfriend.” The added sentence had Chanyeol almost pouting, but he figured he deserved the jab for going so long without noticing Jongin.

  
“I’m sorry,” He apologized again, leaving a soft kiss on the top of Jongin’s head. “Do you think you’ll _ever_ forgive me?” He asked half-jokingly, looking back down at Jongin and leaving butterfly kisses all over his face.

  
The hybrid made a mock affronted noise, though the wide smile on his lips gave away how much he was enjoying the attention. Still, Jongin pulled away and he met Chanyeol’s eyes. “It’s going to take a lot more than that to convince me, hyung.”

  
Chanyeol hummed in agreement, though the sound more resembled a deep rumble than anything else. “I guess I’ll have to change your mind.” And with that said, Chanyeol leaned forward and captured Jongin’s lips in a deep kiss. The hybrid made a small noise of content and Jongin was soon sliding closer to him, his thighs bracketing Chanyeol’s hips and pinning the human in place.

  
When they broke apart, Jongin’s pupils were dilated and his plush lips were an even darker shade of red. Licking his lips, Jongin gave him a challenging smirk, “Is that all you’re going to offer hyung?” When Chanyeol made an affronted noise and moved to capture his mouth again, the sneaky hybrid slipped of his lap, slapped him lightly in the face with his bell and ribbon clad tail and then darted off to the master bedroom with a laugh.

  
Chanyeol smiled fondly, but then his eyes followed the line of Jongin’s figure, moving from his slim waist to his perky ass, tail high in the air as he purposely swayed his hips and disappeared around the corner in the hallway. Feeling a low heat begin to simmer below his abdomen, Chanyeol jumped off the couch and ran after Jongin.

  
The bedroom door was open and Chanyeol wasted no time slipping into the room. One of Jongin’s ears flicked at the sound of the door closing, but the hybrid didn’t turn around. Instead, he continued to climb on the bed on all fours, his fluffy white tail staying up and keeping his perfectly rounded ass in view.

  
The sight alone was enough to have Chanyeol groaning and crawling up the bed alongside him, the human not hesitating to press his hips against Jongin’s. Jongin mewled at the feeling of Chanyeol’s arousal, and for a few moments, Jongin swiveled his hips and enjoyed the friction along with the gruff groans Chanyeol let out. However before Chanyeol could get a grip on the hybrids hips to grind in rougher movements, Jongin used his flexibility to his advantage and twisted under Chanyeol until he was lying on his back, his bottom lip bitten between his teeth and an unknowingly seductive expression on his face.

  
“Hyung, kiss me.” He demanded and Chanyeol wasted no time bracing his weight on his forearms and letting his head fall to align their mouths. Jongin’s lips were still soft and slick from their earlier kiss and Chanyeol made it his mission to make it look the same way it did when the hybrid was done sucking his cock.

  
A tongue prodding at his bottom lip had Jongin gasping and Chanyeol took advantage of the action to slip his tongue into the kitty’s mouth. He knew Jongin enjoyed teasing, even if he denied it and complained about not getting what he wanted, and this was proven true once again when Chanyeol felt Jongin’s legs wrap around his hips, his hands clenching the front of his shirt and pulling the human further down. Feeling a little self-satisfied at his ability to have Jongin keening into his mouth, he let his tongue flick against Jongin’s before he pulled away, his teeth catching the hybrid’s sensitive lip and gently tugging as he let go.

  
_‘I’m too good at this_ ,’ Chanyeol thought with a gulp, Jongin’s eyes were dazed and half lidded, his lips were definitely red and swollen, shiny with saliva, and his cheeks were flushed a delicate pink.

  
As if Jongin could sense Chanyeol’s thoughts, the hybrid’s eyes narrowed and his tail slapped the older man’s arm. “ _Chanyeol_ , hurry up and make me feel good.”

  
Chanyeol sent Jongin a meaningful look and the hybrid scoffed, his hands reaching for the hem of the older man’s shirt and yanking it up in one swift move. “I’m _not_ calling you oppa today,” The shirt got caught on Chanyeol’s ears and he yelped in protest, sending Jongin a wounded look once it was off.

  
Jongin merely snickered, but it dissolved into a surprised gasp when Chanyeol ran his tongue over a clothed nipple. Smirking, Chanyeol laved over the sensitive nub and moved onto the other one, letting his hips grind down between Jongin’s legs at the same time. The double stimulation had Jongin moaning, but at the sight of Chanyeol’s smug smirk, he covered his mouth and tried to keep the soft sounds in.

  
“Don’t try to hold it in Jonginnie,” Chanyeol chided and he grabbed Jongin’s hands, placing them over his head and holding them both there with one hand while his other moved down to push up Jongin’s thin shirt. The fabric bunched under the collar on Jongin’s neck and Chanyeol took a moment to suck a bruise under the black leather. The color of the fresh hickey almost matched the color of the rubies that Jongin wanted added to the garment in a heart shape and Chanyeol was never more proud of the fact that he was able to provide the hybrid with things as pretty as him.

  
“Chan—” Jongin began only to be cut off by his own moan when Chanyeol nipped harshly at his abused nipple. “ _Hyung_ ,” The hybrid corrected himself after, trying to tug his wrists out of Chanyeol’s hand as he ground his hips back against Chanyeol, feeling his owner’s hard cock press against his own through the fabric of their jeans. The friction drove Chanyeol a little crazy, it was a pleasurable burn and he wanted nothing more than to shuck off their jeans and have his way with the hybrid, but he didn’t want to injure Jongin.

  
“Hey,” Jongin complained when Chanyeol suddenly let him go and moved away from the bed, already reaching for the familiar bottle in the top dresser drawer.

  
“Hyung, no,” Jongin whined, and he sat up, “I don’t need it.” Chanyeol turned to look at him and from the expression on his face, Jongin knew he was in for a lecture so he interrupted before he could start. “I-I already p-prepped myself.” He was blushing now and it was so endearing, even if Jongin’s lips looked like sin and his shirt was still high up enough to expose his stomach, his sliver hair messy and falling into his black eyes.

  
Deciding to give in to the urge to tease, Chanyeol left the bottle behind and hovered over Jongin once again. “Naughty kitty,” He admonished, his hands making quick work of the button and fly of Jongin’s tight jeans. “You know you aren’t supposed to touch yourself without me there,” Jongin’s face was still flushed, but his dark eyes were lowered and his plump bottom lip was back between his little white teeth.

  
“H-hyung, I was in here hoping you’d come in and join me for an _hour_.” At the sudden confession, Chanyeol finished tugging off the hybrid’s jeans and he threw across the other side of the room, his shirt following not long after. Jongin’s eyes were growing a little misty now and Chanyeol felt guiltier than ever, knowing that he was busy earlier and though he’d noticed it was quieter than normal, he just wrote it off as a hidden blessing that Jongin wasn’t bothering him. Based off of Jongin’s sad frown, the hybrid knew what Chanyeol was thinking.

  
“I’m so sorry,” Chanyeol said softly, kissing Jongin’s mouth gently, letting the sincerity of his words bleed into the physical action. Jongin made a soft sigh and he let himself melt in Chanyeol’s hold again, his hands gripping the human’s biceps in a too tight grip. “It’s fine,” He answered, his own hands drifting down to Chanyeol’s jeans and with a few deft movements, he had the human’s jeans slipping down to mid-thigh.

  
“No, it’s not fine,” Chanyeol disagreed, pushing Jongin’s hands away so that he could get the useless fabric off the rest of his legs. “I have to make up for ignoring you.” This time, Chanyeol left kisses on the side of Jongin’s jaw, trailing them down to his neck and lower to his collarbones where he left another colorful bruise with his lips. Jongin’s legs were wrapped around his waist again and the little swivels of his hips felt better against Chanyeol with only the thin fabric of their boxers in the way.

  
Soon even that little barrier was peeled away and Jongin was laid bare before him. The sight of Jongin’s caramel colored skin, his rouge lips, his sultry dark eyes had Chanyeol thanking whatever deities existed for creating someone so beautiful.

  
Kneeling between Jongin’s legs now, Chanyeol let his fingers travel up the inside of a smooth thigh, prodding at the hybrid’s puckered entrance. With a gentle push, the tip of three fingers slipped in with little resistance and Chanyeol savored the way Jongin’s breath hitched in a moan. “What do you want hyung to do Jonginnie?” He asked, curling his fingers inside Jongin and rubbing against his warm walls.

  
“A-ah,” Jongin moaned, undulating his hips in an attempt to get Chanyeol’s fingers to brush over his prostate. “M-more p-please _hyung_?”

  
The honorific had Chanyeol feeling his cock twitch in the confines of his underwear. In reaction, Chanyeol shoved his fingers in the rest of the way and spread them, rubbing even more incessantly at Jongin’s sweet spot. Jongin’s moans grew higher the rougher Chanyeol got and he spread his legs eagerly, his hole tightening in pleasure and practically sucking in Chanyeol’s long fingers.

  
The feeling had Chanyeol nearly losing control, but he let Jongin fuck himself on his fingers for a few more moments before he pulled them out. The hybrid whined at the action, feeling empty, but Chanyeol was already moving down his body. His mouth now hovered over the pink tip of Jongin’s cock and the human gave the head a teasing suck, his tongue digging into the slit and making Jongin moan in a higher pitch. “Be a good kitty and tell hyung what you want.” It was not a request this time, it was a harsh demand and as Chanyeol moved his mouth away and let his hand grip the base of Jongin’s member, the hybrid let out a breathless whine at the praise.

  
The deep blush from earlier was now spreading down his neck, dipping into his smooth collarbones, the pretty color matching the angry fuchsia of the hickey Chanyeol left here earlier. In an effort to bring the hybrid’s attention back to the question, Chanyeol roughly squeezed the base of Jongin’s cock.

  
“ _Mmph_ ,” Jongin hid his moan by biting onto one of his fingers. The slight pain brought back the lucidness in his coal colored eyes and he met Chanyeol’s hungry gaze with hesitant eyes. “P-please hyung, l-lick-” He cut himself off and he covered his face with his hands, whining in embarrassment.

  
Knowing exactly what he meant, Chanyeol decided to not force the dirty words out of his mouth the way he usually would. With a teasing stroke, Chanyeol let go of Jongin’s arousal and he moved his hands to grip onto Jongin’s thighs, pulling the hybrid further down the bed at the same time he lowered his head.

  
Jongin’s ears flattened and he dared to peek from between his fingers to see Chanyeol’s head between his legs. The sight was so lewd and the hybrid was going to speak up and say never mind to the whole thing, but Chanyeol was already holding him down and leaning close enough to have his every breath hitting the pink puckered flesh of his hole.

  
Jongin would never admit that he liked this, and usually Chanyeol would take it as a challenge and he’d leave teasing nips and licks in the areas around Jongin’s most sensitive parts until the hybrid was a mess of tears and arousal. It was easy to get him to agree to anything at that point.

  
But Chanyeol had some making up to do, so instead of the usual teasing to the point of confession, he tightened his hold on Jongin’s smooth thighs and dived in, letting his tongue dart out to lick his hybrid’s slick and already loosened rim.

  
The action had Jongin moaning and arching his back, his head falling back against the pillow as his fingers combed through Chanyeol’s hair. By the feel of his trembling fingers, Jongin was holding back in an effort to not yank the strands and as a reward, Chanyeol delved his tongue deeper and rubbed the slick appendage against Jongin’s walls.

  
“Ah! H-hyung,” Jongin cried out and the older man felt a soft tail wrap around his wrist. Sucking, Chanyeol used his grip on Jongin’s thighs to spread the hybrid wider and Jongin’s hitched gasp when his tongue flicked against his sweet spot was enough to make his own member throb within the confines of his thin boxers. But this was not about himself, so Chanyeol ignored his own cock and he released one of Jongin’s thighs, his tongue still licking in and out of the hybrid’s slick hole. When he felt Jongin beginning to tremble and his fingers tighten in his hair, he slipped in two fingers and pushed them all the way in, twisting them immediately and rubbing something warm and spongy.

  
“ _H-hah ahh, hyung_ ~!” Jongin moaned brokenly, forgetting his control and letting his hips press back down against Chanyeol’s skilled fingers and tongue. “ _M-mm_ , c-close!” Jongin’s walls tightened and pulsed and Chanyeol could tell he was going to cum even without the warning, so with one last push of his tongue and fingers, he gently used his lips to suck Jongin’s rim. Jongin’s body pulled tight, his hands pushing and tugging Chanyeol’s hair as he came, painting his own stomach and chest white with cum.

  
Chanyeol pushed his fingers in even deeper and continued thrusting his tongue in and out until Jongin twitched and began whining from oversensitivity. He pulled away then and slipped his fingers out, wiping his mouth and feeling his own cock twitch again at the slick sound his fingers made pulling out.

  
Jongin looked wrecked, his hair was wild and a few baby hairs were plastered to his temples with beads of sweat. Crystalline tears were gathered in the corner of Jongin’s coal eyes, his gaze meeting Chanyeol’s from under his thick lashes. The delicate pink of his blush was now a red flush, matching the color of his lips and the evidence of Jongin’s orgasm on his contrasting dusky skin was enough to have Chanyeol dropping down and kissing the hybrid, his tongue quickly slipping into his mouth and letting the hybrid have a taste of himself.

  
When he pulled away, Jongin’s eyes were already heavy with post-orgasmic sleepiness, though when he felt Chanyeol’s hard cock press against his thigh, he perked up. “H-hyung, you didn’t—”

  
“It’s fine.” Chanyeol interrupted, preparing to draw away to clean up, but Jongin quickly pulled him down on top of him, gently rutting against him.

  
“It’s not fine.” Jongin parroted Chanyeol’s earlier words and when the human huffed, he smiled and pecked him on the lips. “I want you h-hyung, all of you,” He purred softly, letting his tongue dart out to trace the shell of Chanyeol’s ear before he took the lobe in his mouth and sucked lightly, his teeth biting down gently but with enough sting to have Chanyeol groaning and grinding down against his hybrid.

  
“Jongin, you’ll be the end of me,” He finally declared, slipping out of his boxers and lining up with Jongin’s entrance as soon as his thick cock was free.

  
The hybrid opened his mouth to day something, his expression a little affronted, but Chanyeol was already pushing in, not stopping until his hips slapped against Jongin’s soft ass. Jongin’s moan delved into a soft sigh, though Chanyeol barely gave him any time to adjust before he was pulling out and slamming back in, making Jongin’s breath hitch and catch in his throat in pleasure. When Jongin was fingering himself earlier, he had been imagining this moment, when Chanyeol would hold his hips hard enough to bruise, the way his thick cock would stretch open his rim and rub against his walls. With his own hand, it wasn’t quite enough, but he now that he had the real thing, the satisfaction, the pleasure was enough to have him hardening again.

  
“Were you thinking of this earlier, kitty?” Chanyeol asked, grunting and shoving his hips forward harshly, the flared head of his cock pressing incessantly against Jongin’s prostate. Jongin moaned breathlessly, his walls fluttering around Chanyeol as he ground into him, stirring his insides and making Jongin nearly lose his mind.

  
“Answer me Jonginnie, were you thinking of hyung when you were fucking yourself?” Chanyeol’s words rumbled against the shell of Jongin’s ear and the ticklish feeling had the hybrid squirming in place, unable to feel anything other than the cock impaling him.

  
“Y-yes hyung!”

  
Pleased with the answer, Chanyeol pulled back until only the head of his cock was spreading Jongin open, and in one smooth thrust, he was pushing back inside Jongin and hitting his sweet spot perfectly. The way Jongin spasmed around his cock had Chanyeol groaning and he thrusted harder, the sounds of skin slapping skin soon filling the room along with Jongin’s mindless moans. The pleasure was building to a steady peak, the burn from earlier turning into a fire, but Chanyeol didn’t want to end it so soon.

  
Now that he actually allowed himself to revel in the feeling of joining with Jongin, Chanyeol realized that it had been a while, and he felt even dumber for ignoring Jongin than he did before.

  
“ _Ahh hahh_! Hyung!” Jongin whined and Chanyeol felt then telling way he was clenching and unclenching around his throbbing cock, so making a quick decision, Chanyeol hitched Jongin’s legs over his shoulders and used his weight to press down. Jongin stuttered out a moan and his hole tightened and sucked him in, the rhythmic pulsing of his walls now matching Chanyeol’s ruthless pace. It felt amazing and Chanyeol found himself moaning alongside Jongin, losing himself to the mind numbing feeling.

  
This time when Jongin gasped out that he was close, Chanyeol agreed with him, pulling out and pushing in in faster and sloppier, the slick noises of Jongin’s tight hole making him feel hotter. “So pretty, my Jonginnie, perfect for hyung.”Chanyeol muttered as he thumbed the tip of Jongin’s cock. The cat hybrid let a high pitched moan slip out from between his lips, his body tensing as he came at the sound of praise.

  
Feeling the pulse of the hybrid’s orgasm, Chanyeol swiveled his hips and buried himself as deep as he could, coming into Jongin and groaning as he rocked his hips through the release. Feeling the hot spurts inside him, Jongin made a pretty sound, feeling worn and perfectly satisfied.

  
Fatigue caught up to Chanyeol and he abruptly flopped down on top of Jongin, burying his face in his neck and curling his arms around his waist, his softening member still encased inside Jongin’s slick walls. “Ugh, I think I need to go back to the gym.” Chanyeol complained half-heartedly.

  
Jongin giggled, the movement jostling their sensitive bodies enough for it to feel on the brink of sweetly painful. His voice sounded hoarse and amused, tired and happy at the same time. “I think you’re just old.” As if to punctuate his statement, Jongin’s tail flicked up and smacked Chanyeol’s thigh playfully.

  
“What!?” Chanyeol said in faux offense, lifting his head up long enough to glare at Jongin, though he made no other effort to pull away from the smiling hybrid. “I just made you cum twice and you dare call me old?”

  
Giving him another challenging smirk, Jongin pushed Chanyeol up and with another naturally flexible movement, he was soon seated on top of Chanyeol. “You want to prove me wrong?” He asked, deliberately tightening his hole and rocking his hips in smooth languid circles. Hissing in over sensitivity, Chanyeol grabbed Jongin’s hips and bucked up hard enough to make Jongin’s smirk fall away. To further rile up the hybrid, he grabbed the base of his pretty white tail and pulled just hard enough to have Jongin moaning and falling forward onto Chanyeol’s chest.

  
“I knew you’d be more trouble than you looked,” Chanyeol huffed out, thinking back to the time he saw the hybrid demurely looking up at him through his eyelashes as he blushed and played with his sweater. As soon as he saw him bite his lips, Chanyeol adopted Jongin and brought him home.

  
Sharp teeth bit down on his neck and Chanyeol yelped, his cock giving a throbbing twitch at the sensation. Jongin looked smug, but he licked over the wound and began bouncing in Chanyeol’s lap, using his owner’s cock as his own toy.

  
“Hyung, shut up and get back to fucking me,” He moaned, losing his stutter from earlier. “Remember, I still don’t forgive you.”

  
Chanyeol scoffed and yanked harder on Jongin’s tail, moving his hips in time with Jongin now. “When did you get so demanding?” Jongin bit him again and Chanyeol decided to abandon words as he worked for ‘ _forgiveness_.’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well... I completed one New Year's resolution...


	12. Fox Fire Fic!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I reposted Fox Fire as a new fic, enjoy!

Due to all the love Fox Fire has received, it has been revived! So here's the link to the new story:

 

http://archiveofourown.org/works/9347084/chapters/21172928

 

Remember to subscribe! Chapter five is up, so go and read it and tell me what you think 

(　･∀･)b　ＯＫ！


	13. [SeKai] Now Look Here!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s been a long time since Jongin last visited his home town, so imagine his surprise when he comes home to find the kid he used to bully is back, and he seems intent on making him feel confused.

 

**Now Look Here!**

 

  
**Paring: SeKai**

  
**Summary: It’s been a long time since Jongin last visited his home town, so imagine his surprise when he comes home to find the kid he used to bully is back, and he seems intent on making him feel confused.**  
**Notes: This was vaguely based off a manhwa I read once, I forgot what it was called, but it was super cute and funny, if a little confusing at times. Then again, most manhwa is confusing to me unless I read it while completely focused. ~~I might make another SeKai or KaiSoo story based off Totally Captivated. Now that is some quality yaoi manhwa >:3~~**

 

 

 

  
When the new kid moved into the rural town Jongin lived in near the mountain that his great grandfathers inhabited, Jongin was beside himself with irritation. _He_ was supposed to be the only kid in the neighborhood, _he_ was supposed to be the only one to charm the ajhummas in the market and get candy from the ajussi who pat him on the head as he walked by.  
But the new kid, Oh Sehun, was stealing his spotlight and Jongin didn’t like it one bit. To make matters worse, his mom kept meeting up with the other kid’s mom and they both prattled on about boring things while they pushed their sons to play together.

  
“Hey Jonginnie, when were you born?” Sehun asked, his little lips forming a shy smile as he looked down at Jongin.

  
Bristling, the honey hued boy crossed his arms and glared up at Sehun. “I was born January 14, 1994.”

  
Sehun raised a brow and tilted his head innocently, looking like the puppy Jongin wanted from the pet store but wasn’t allowed. “Really!? That makes you my hyung,” He pursed his lips and looked deep in thought while Jongin rejoiced at the news, being a hyung meant that he could order Sehun around.

  
“But you’re short and cute, so I’ll be your hyung,” Sehun decided at last, nodding to himself and looking at the other shocked boy with a smile and a bright look in his eyes.

  
“No! I was born earlier! I’m the hyung!” Jongin stomped his foot and pouted angrily, feeling his irritation skyrocket at Sehun’s audacity.

  
Sehun shook his head and gently patted Jongin on the head, ruffling his hair in a condescending manner. “No Jonginnie, hyungs don’t look like puppies.”

  
Fed up, Jongin narrowed his eyes at Sehun and before the taller male could so much as register the glint in his eyes, Jongin grabbed his wrist and bit his hand, right on the thick fleshy part near his thumb.

  
Sehun’s wide eyes and the expression on his face was gratifying, that is until he opened his mouth and began bawling, tears springing out of his eyes like rain from the sky.

  
As punishment, Jongin had to stand in the corner, holding up a bucket of water while Sehun’s mommy took him out to have ice cream from the ajussi who used to be Jongin’s favorite vendor.

  
_‘I hate you Sehunnnie!’_ Jongin thought with a forlorn sniffle, the long dried tears in the corner of his eyes making them itch.

 

 

  
The next time Sehun and Jongin met, the taller boy pulled Jongin in for a hug, completely disregarding the bite from last time. “Jonginnnie! Hyung missed you!” Sehun cooed, pulling away from the scowling Jongin long enough to bop his nose.

“I didn’t miss _you_ ,” Jongin muttered sulkily, but Sehun merely giggled and grabbed his wrist, dragging him off to the living room of his home where a plate of snacks was set on a low legged coffee table.

  
Jongin was distracted enough to let Sehun arrange him on the pillow seat next to his. ‘ _Sehun’s mommy lets him have cookies!’_ Jongin thought with excitement and a little bit of envy. Unfortunately, before Jongin’s little hand could dart out to snatch up a cookie, Sehun had pushed the plate out of his reach.

  
“No!” Jongin whined, stretching his arms out to try and reach the tray again. Sehun watched him struggle for a moment before he decided to help his self-proclaimed dongsaeng.

  
“Here Jonginnie~” Sehun called and when Jongin turned to look at him, he was holding a cookie out to him. Blinking, Jongin reached out with his hand, but Sehun smiled mischievously and moved the cookie out of the way. “No, let hyung feed you,” Sehun said and Jongin’s lips twisted into a frustrated little pout that Sehun wanted to poke with his finger to see if it was as soft as it looked.

  
“You’re not my hyung!” Jongin protested, his eyes longingly following the cookie that Sehun waved in front of him playfully.

  
Sehun shook his head at Jongin and made a disappointed sound. “If you don’t call me hyung, I won’t feed you, so be a good boy Jonginnie.”

  
Jongin frowned and he shook his head. He really wanted the cookie, but Sehun was being so mean! He wasn’t even the hyung anyway, he was younger than Jongin!

A little gurgle coming from the direction of his stomach had Jongin flushing in embarrassment when Sehun laughed. “F-fine!” Jongin said, glaring at Sehun as the corner of his plump lips turned down. “H-hyung, please m-may I have some?”

  
Sehun looked at him with wide eyes and when Jongin felt irritation welling up again, the taller boy cooed and squished him in a hug. “Oh you’re so _cute_ ~!” Sehun said in a sickly sweet tone. His hands were pawing at Jongin’s cheeks and he was mushing Jongin’s face, making him look like a fish.  
Struggling against the sudden perceived attack, Jongin wriggled out of Sehun’s hold and he tried to get up and run. Unfortunately, Sehun was taller, and therefore had longer limbs. It was very easy for him to use his long arms to grab Jongin around the waist and pull him into his lap so that he couldn’t escape Sehun’s dotting.

  
But like a cat, Jongin hissed and instinctively buried his sharp little teeth into Sehun’s arm.  
Sehun cried out and Jongin got another unfair time out from his mommy while Sehun got more ice cream—

 

Only this time Sehun’s mom took him aside and explained things to him.

  
“So umma, Jonginnie doesn’t hate me?” He asked with wide eyes, his tears long since dried up, leaving only the remnants of sniffles here and there as he ate his ice cream.

  
The older woman nodded and she gently took Sehun’s hand as they walked down the street, heading home before the dark fell. “Your Appa was just like Jongin, he was so mean to me that I was convinced he didn’t like me either.” The woman smiled at the memory while Sehun scrunched up his eyebrows and frowned in confusion.

  
“Why did you marry Appa if he was so mean, Umma?” He asked.

  
The woman laughed, “I wouldn’t have if my Umma, your Halmeoni, hadn’t told me a little secret.”

  
Sehun stopped eating his ice cream and he looked up at his mom with wide eyes. “What secret?”

  
Sehun’s mom paused and she cast an exaggerated look around the area, though in their sleepy country town the streets were mostly calm and empty. “Well, if I tell you, will you promise not to tell anyone?” She asked and Sehun nodded so fast that he almost made himself dizzy with the movement. Holding back a laugh, the woman crouched by Sehun’s side and leaned closer to whisper in his ear.

  
“Boys like to be mean to someone they _like_ _a_ _lot_.”

  
Sehun blinked and then he scoffed and shook his head. “Umma stop joking!” He said and he huffed some more and began walking back home ahead of the shocked woman. “I’m not mean to Jonginnie, what a bad secret.”

 

 

  
It was officially the middle of summer and Jongin was beyond bored. He wasn’t allowed to go back to Sehun’s house unless he did what his mom told him to do and apologized. Which he refused to do, because it wasn’t his fault that the only way to escape Sehun was to bite him.

  
But it was so hot that the T.V. was turned off to save money on electricity, and Jongin’s toys were taken away by his mean Appa (Who Jongin was sure was only on his mom’s side).

  
‘ _Maybe I could just look outside and find something to play with…_ ’ Jongin thought to himself and he perked up at his own brilliant idea. He ran to the window and shoved the pale green curtains aside, only to be met with the sight of Sehun playing under a shady tree with a puppy.

  
The same puppy Jongin was begging his mother for from the pet store last week.  
Absolutely scandalized, Jongin shut the curtain and raced to put his shoes on. He had to save the puppy from Sehun! With that in mind, Jongin left his home and walked straight across the yard to where Sehun was.

  
The other boy looked up from where he was playing fetch with his new puppy and he smiled at Jongin. Despite what happened last time, he was happy to see the older boy again. It also helped that his affronted expression was adorable rather than scary, along with his oversized shirt and his extra-long, fuzzy socks.

  
“ _You_ , stay away from my puppy!” Jongin demanded, immediately gathering the puppy in his arms and holding it out of Sehun’s reach. His eyebrows were narrowed over his large almond shaped eyes, his lush lips twisted down into a frown.

  
Sehun looked at him in surprise, his eyes darting down to the puppy and then meeting Jongin’s again. “He’s my puppy, my Appa and Umma gave him to me.” Sehun said, still finding no logic in Jongin’s claim.

  
Not faltering, Jongin shook his head and glared even harder at Sehun. “No, I saw him first so he’s mine!”

  
Sehun ignored him and tried to reach for the dog. However, Jongin made a small growling noise and he bared his teeth at Sehun, who quickly placed his arms back at his sides, fearing another bite. The puppy made a little whining noise and its wet nose poked Jongin’s cheek, making the boy give a pleased giggle and begin playing with the dog. Feeling put out, Sehun sighed and sat with his chin placed on his knees, watching Jongin roll around with his new puppy.

  
“Jonginnie, hyung wants to play too,” Sehun finally whined, getting bored of just sitting on the sidelines and watching Jongin act cute with a puppy.

  
Without even looking up at him, Jongin decisively shook his head and picked up the puppy again. “No. I don’t want Sehunnie to ruin the fun.”

  
Sehun actually pouted at that. “Hey! I’m not gonna ruin anything!”

  
Wide chocolate eyes blinked at Sehun. Jongin was now laying on his back on the grass and he saw an upside down and forlorn Sehun. He had a feeling rising in his chest, something that happened after biting Sehun every time, and Jongin wondered why it made him want to appease the younger boy when he didn’t like him. At all.

  
“Fine! Sehunnie can play too.” Jongin relented and the smile that Sehun gave in return was near blinding.

  
Later when Jongin was tucked into bed at home, he admitted to himself that Sehun wasn’t as annoying as he initially thought.

 

 

 

  
A storm was raging outside and Jongin was huddled under his bed in fear, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders and his favorite stuffed bunny tucked under his chin.  
A giant rumble of thunder shook the house, followed by an eerie flash of lightning that made Jongin whimper and shut his eyes. Tears gathered at the corner of his eyes and Jongin desperately wished that someone were here with him. His mom had gone to the market long ago, his father was at work, and the baby sitter hired hadn’t shown up yet.

They were all probably held back by the storm, Jongin’s parents believing that he was safe while the baby sitter assumed his parents stayed in with him.

  
Another roll of thunder had him shaking even more and Jongin started crying and shaking even harder. His room was dark, the power was out, and there was no one else in the house to comfort him.

  
Jongin was sure that he’d never been more frightened in his life, and just when he felt as if the fear would make his heart stop, something wet reached out and touched the side of his face.

  
Shocked, Jongin opened his eyes to see a slobbering puppy held in front of his face, Sehun’s hands wrapped around the wriggling animal with a concerned look on his face.  
“Jonginnie, don’t cry,” He said, letting the puppy down so that it could snuggle up to Jongin’s side, where it stood on its hind legs in an effort to lick the crying boy’s tears away.

  
Jongin for his part, merely sniffled, pet the dog on the head and looked up at Sehun with watery brown eyes. “H-hyung,” he said and Sehun didn’t even feel the need to gloat over the term as he sat down and pulled Jongin’s shaking form to his, nearly placing the older boy in his lap. “Don’t cry, Hyung will protect you,” Sehun murmured softly as he stroked Jongin’s hair, the rampant storm outside nearly drowning him out.

  
Jongin eventually relaxed, lulled into a calmer state by the presence of another person. Sehun wasn’t being annoying and Jongin was actually grateful to have him around.

  
Later that eveing, Jongin’s parents came home to find two lone sleeping boys and a puppy curled up at their feet. Predictably, they went into a panic and they twittered about like chicks, calling the baby sitter, Sehun’s parents, and even the police. But the experience had drawn Sehun and Jongin close and gave them a bond that made them near brothers, until one day, Sehun moved away and Jongin was left alone for a long, long time.

 

 

 

∞

 

 

 

  
“Mom, for the last time, I can’t stay for longer than a few days.” Jongin sighed into the phone, his frustration from work rolling off him in waves, though he toned it down for his mother’s sake.

  
_“But Jonginnie, your father and I haven’t seen you in years.”_ His mom said and Jongin could practically see her pout and pull out the watery puppy eyes. _“You know what happened last week, your father and I don’t have forever anymore and we’d like to see you again.”_ Mrs. Kim was a woman to be feared. She could guilt trip a priest and feel no remorse at all.

  
“…Alright mom, I’ll see if I can extend my vacation time from three days to a straight week.” Jongin caved, and he could now add to his list of weaknesses, number one replaced with sly Ummas instead of puppies.

  
_“Good, I’ll see you soon.”_ His mom said, her voice sounding less broken and more and more smug as she hung up.

  
The dial tone beeped at him and Jongin wordlessly put his phone on sleep mode and began packing. It wasn’t that Jongin had been meaning to neglect his parents on purpose. When he was old enough to move out of his childhood home and move to Seoul to attend college, Jongin had constantly called his mom and he suffered from homesickness that sometimes had him sitting on the couch with a tub of ice cream and the cheesiest, fluffiest dramas put on replay.

  
Eventually when Jongin graduated from school and moved on to doing bigger and better things in life (writing wasn’t too glamorous, but it paid well and he gained mediocre recognition), he felt the need to call home occur less and less often. At some point within the past few years he became so engrossed in his own life that he completely forgot about his parents, at least until his father had a heart attack scare the week before and ended up in the hospital for two days.

  
Thus, Jongin was now prepared to head home. The place he had grown up in, shared memories with family, and found happiness.

Smiling fondly, Jongin began packing clothing into a sleek black suitcase for his trip back home. He really wasn’t expecting to do much more than sit around and eat his mother’s cooking for the week, so he packed all his comfy oversized t-shirts, soft sweaters, sleep shorts, and even a few pairs of jeans and sweat pants. Other necessities were piled in as well and upon finishing the task of packing, Jongin had to sit on his suitcase to zip it up.

  
Once done, Jongin huffed a sigh of relief. ‘ _That should be enough for the week,’_ He thought with a satisfied smile. Despite his reluctance to call his editor and ask for a deadline extension to make up for his break, he was actually excited to go back to his home town and spend time in the house he grew up in. Honestly the city felt so constricting at times, with its loud noises and rushed hours. When he first arrived in Seoul, it was hard to adjust to the sudden importance of time and deadlines, he grew up in a place where everyone knew one another and people were always willing to lend an ear or a much needed extension.

However, he could not complain too much. He channeled his homesickness into nostalgic writing of his sleepy country town and though it wasn’t quite popular enough to begin flying off the shelves, it was enough to make him some rent money. It also made him feel good when he got an e-mail from a reader who expressed their love for his gentle, slow books with their timeless and whimsically elegant feel.

  
Shaking the thoughts away, Jongin finished getting ready for bed, slipped into the comforters and shut off his lamp.

 

 

  
∞

 

 

  
The two hour and thirty minute train ride from Seoul to his hometown had never seemed so long in his life. Currently, Jongin was pressed against the window seat on the newly updated bullet train. Honestly, he was a little sad to see that the old twentieth century looking one was gone and he briefly wondered if he was so out of it that he didn’t even notice the change of his old favorite train. Nonetheless, he was excited to ride the new vehicle that would transport him to his location faster and more smoothly.

  
However, he was not the only one with the same idea. There were a few families with small kids and despite it being early enough for the moon to still be out, the little toddlers and mischievous children were talking non-stop and he was sure that one of the babies on the train was sniffling, a horrible forewarning of tears.

  
It also didn’t help that Jongin’s seat partner was a giant bear of a man, who like Jongin had made a mistake when purchasing the tickets for the train ride and had booked a ride for 4 A.M. instead of 4 P.M., and was now taking up a seat and a half, snoring loud enough to drown out a chainsaw.

  
A glance out the side window had Jongin looking up to see the moon and a few stubborn stars. He scowled at the sight and fussily fluffed his neck pillow. When Jongin had woken up to the beeping of his phone, he was horrified to see that it was an automatic e-mail sent from the station, informing him of his imminent train ride thirty minutes before the great machine was set to take off from the station. What ensued was a flurry of panicked movement and cursing.

Now Jongin was trapped on the newly modernized train with a now screaming baby and a seat mate who fell asleep sitting up, only his head was acting like a tether pole and he kept stopping on Jongin’s shoulder and using it as a makeshift pillow.

  
_‘I should have cancelled and bought another train ticket for this evening_ ,’ Jongin thought in despair as he gently bumped his shoulder to get the slumbering man off his body. It worked for a few minutes before the man’s head eventually rolled back in his direction like some kind of heat seeking bowling ball.

The next few hours left Jongin tired and cranky and he was near ready to jump off the train when it finally pulled into the Busan station. As it were, Jongin barely managed to wait until the train pulled to a stop and the doors were slid open, the ding of a bell and the flashing screen above the door lighting up with the Romanized characters for Busan, followed by plain Hangeul. The snoring bear at Jongin’s side was disturbed by his frantic movements, but one sharp look from the cranky Busan boy had him shutting his mouth and swallowing his complaints.

  
_‘Ah, it’s good to be home_ ,’ Jongin sighed once he hopped off the train, his suitcase in one hand and his rollaway in the other. Despite wanting to pack light, Jongin had somehow managed to find more stuff that he thought he needed to bring along, such things including reading material, writing tools, a laptop, and even a tablet. Then of course he had to pack all the additional accessories his technology needed.

  
There wasn’t anyone waiting for him at the train station, so Jongin hitched a cab and gave the driver directions to his home. The chatty cab driver was polite and he didn’t charge Jongin the usual baggage fee.  
Feeling his mood lift the further he got from the hellish train, Jongin indulged the man in light conversation to pass the time.

Eventually they made it to his street and when they passed the house next door to his childhood home, Jongin was surprised to see a neatly trimmed yard. When he was growing up, the house had been mostly empty, though there was a time when it was briefly occupied by another family. After they left, the house remained empty and eventually the front lawn was overgrown with wild grass and prickly weeds.

  
_‘I wonder if someone moved in?_ ’ He thought idly as the cab driver pulled into his parent’s driveway. The Kim family home was immaculately up kept and the window boxes were all filled with little pink, orange, and red flowers. His mother’s rose bushes were trimmed and he could see the tiny unfurled blooms hanging delicately off a few thorned branches of the plant. Jongin wondered how his mother had time to take care of their landscaping and backyard garden with his father’s recent decline in health.

“Alright, we’re here.” The cab driver announced obviously, stepping on the brake and putting the car in park. The meter stopped on a specific number and Jongin payed easily, having made a trip to the bank earlier in the day his mother called. The man easily accepted the payment and he offered to help, but Jongin turned him down and decided to carry his own things.

  
Once the cab sped off, Jongin walked up the gravel pathway to the front door. Setting his things down, Jongin reached up and ran a hand along the top of the doorframe, smiling in triumph when the spare key fell into his palm. ‘ _I guess some things will never change._ ’ He thought as he opened the door and called out a greeting, “Mom, dad! I'm home!”

 

However, Jongin paused and frowned in confusion when he saw a pair of thick soled boots placed by the doorway next to his mother and father’s shoes. As far as he was concerned, his parents hadn’t said anything about a guest. Maybe they had forgotten to mention it?

  
“Jongin, you’re back, and so early!” A feminine voice called out happily and Jongin looked up to see his mother walking toward him, easily stepping down the staircase. Her black hair was decorated with a silver lock of hair, falling out of her graceful bun and framing the right side of her face. There were a few more lines of age around her eyes and mouth, but aside from that she still had a healthy honey flush to her skin.

“I was just going to call you to make sure you wouldn’t weasel out of visiting!” Mrs. Kim chided gently with a bright smile lighting up her face and falling into the laugh lines around her mouth and the crinkles around her eyes. Jongin had lost count of all the times he was called a near exact copy of his mother.

  
“Hi mom,” Jongin greeted back, not bothering to hide the fond smile gracing his lips as he let himself be pulled into a tight hug. He didn’t quite remember his mother being so small in his arms, but the warmth and familiar comfort of having her arms wrapped around his shoulders was still present. She even had the soothing scent of her cherry blossom perfume, a tiny waft of the subtle smell drifting to Jongin’s nose when she drew out of the hug.

  
“Wow, you’ve gotten so tall,” His mother gushed, her eyes taking in every little detail of her son’s appearance. “You take after your father.” She finally decided with a gentle hum.  
Jongin chuckled, “You’re only saying that because I’m not four feet tall.” His teasing tone was not lost on her.

  
“I am not that short!” His mother narrowed her eyes dangerously at her son, but she huffed and hid a fond smile. “And besides, you should be worshipping the ground I walk on, you look just like me.”

  
Jongin bowed deeply before her and clasped his hands together. “Thank you so much Umma.”

  
“Hey! I’m not that bad looking.” A man shouted in a faux wounded tone.

Startled, Jongin looked up to see his father walking down the stairs gingerly, one hand clutching the banister. The older Kim was easy on the eyes in a more subtle way than his wife, despite his age, but the only features Jongin had inherited from him were his height and hair and eye color. Still, Mrs. Kim liked to point out that they had similar personalities: Stubborn to a fault and more loyal than a dog.

  
“Hey dad,” Jongin greeted when the older man finally made it to the floor. He steadily walked toward his son and wife and Jongin also noted that his father had changed as well. His hair was a salt and pepper grey rather than brown and his signature good natured smile was on his face.

  
Jongin was promptly pulled into another hug and he was surprised to notice that he was no longer shorter than his father. They were now of the same height, but Jongin could tell that the arms encircling him were thinner than he remembered and his father looked labored.

  
“Kim Kae Jin,” His mother interrupted, slapping her husband’s shoulder as he let go of Jongin. “How dare you walk anywhere without your cane!” Her arms were crossed and despite his tall and sturdy stature, his father seemed to shrink down in front of her.

“Love, you know I don’t need it,” He pleaded, looking like a kicked puppy. Mrs. Kim visibly softened, but she pretended to be mad as she grabbed his father’s hand and guided him back upstairs.

  
Jongin laughed and took in the sight of his mother scolding his father half-heartedly. It was good to see them again, and maybe Jongin had needed this home vacation more than he thought he did.

With a smile still on his face, Jongin gathered his luggage and began to haul it upstairs. However, his things were heavier than he realized and he was still tired from the early morning wake up call, so Jongin struggled to get the wheels of his rollaway to cooperate.  
“Damn it,” He cursed, only to let out a squeak of surprise when a large hand grabbed the handle of his rollaway. He looked up, prepared to scold his father, but he stopped and gaped in shock.

  
The man helping him was _very_ handsome. He had thick eyebrows and black hair that was parted to the side but still somehow managed to fall into the most captivating pair of dark eyes Jongin had ever seen. To top it all off, he had high cheekbones, a straight nose, and perfectly shaped pink lips. A further perusal showed that he was dressed casually in tight black tank top, showcasing sculpted muscles that made Jongin internally scream.

  
“Hey, my eyes are up here,” The man said and his voice was so deep that it had Jongin snapping to attention, a furious blush blooming on his cheeks.

  
“S-sorry!” Jongin managed to croak out, feeling so flustered in the face of an unknown attractive stranger. Really, he was in his twenties! He shouldn’t be acting like a love sick teen! “I didn’t mean to bump into you Sir!”

  
The handsome man seemed amused by his reaction, if his smirk was anything to go by. “I can understand your surprise, but I’m hurt you don’t remember hyung, Jonginnie.”

Jongin stopped ogling the stranger’s muscled arms long enough to blink at him in a confused daze. “Huh?” The man must be mistaking him for some other Jongin. He would definitely remember a face ~~and a body~~ like _that_.

  
The man let out a sigh, and he appeared to think something over as he let his eyes roam Jongin’s figure. “Well, it has been more than a few years, so I don’t blame you too much…” He trailed off and Jongin was tempted to leave, no matter how hot the man was, it would all be worth nothing if he was crazy.

  
“Sorry, you must have me confused with someone else, excuse me—”

  
“I’m Oh Sehun,” The man interrupted, his coal colored eyes boring into Jongin’s expectantly.

  
“Uhm, I’m Kim Jongin?” Jongin introduced himself, though his words came out lilted at the end, making his words sound like a question. Though to be fair, he was confused and he did want to ask questions, some of which concerned Sehun’s relationship status and mental health.

  
Sehun pouted and Jongin nearly fainted. NO grown man should look hot and then immediately flip to cute with a simple pursing of his lips. “I already know your name, we used to be neighbors and friends as kids! Do you really not remember me?”

  
Jongin tilted his head and thought about it, not noticing the way Sehun’s eyes roamed his face appreciatively. Suddenly snapping his fingers, Jongin pointed at Sehun. “I remember! You once tripped over your untied shoestring and face planted onto the sidewalk!”

  
Frowning, Sehun’s pout deepened into a frown, “Out of the two years we’ve known each other, that’s what you remember first?” He asked, sounding mildly offended.

  
Smiling sheepishly, Jongin switched his suit case from his left hand to his right. “I don’t have a very good memory…”

  
Sehun scoffed, though a faint smile grazed his lips. “Obviously.” He said as he took Jongin’s remaining suitcase from his hands and carried it to the top of the stairway, ignoring protests from Jongin.

  
“Where to?” Sehun asked, using his longer limbs to his advantage as he placed the suitcases behind his torso and played a little game of keep away with Jongin.

  
Huffing, Jongin gave up retrieving his things and settled for pointing to the door to the right of the hallway. “I’m staying in my old room.” Nodding in understanding, Sehun effortlessly carried Jongin’s luggage to the room.

  
Jongin got caught up in watching him for a moment, Sehun’s biceps bulged just a bit when he lifted his heavy black suit case and kept it above the floor while he dragged the wheeled one behind him. Honestly, Jongin though that the way he moved was picturesque and smooth and the fluidity of his movements reminded Jongin of a dance he once practiced for days on end.

  
“So, what brings you back to town?” Sehun asked once he placed the suitcases in front of the room, raising a brow expectantly when he noticed that Jongin wasn’t behind him.

  
Feeling his face heat up, Jongin rushed to open his room door. “My father’s health hasn’t been too good recently and it’s taking a toll on my mom, so I decided to visit for a while. I was also told a vacation would do me some good.” As he was speaking, Jongin tried to ignore his proximity to Sehun. The hallway was really too narrow, and he was forced to notice it now with how close by Sehun was. He was practically pressed to the door with the younger man’s body and it only served to make Jongin feel small and awkward.

  
Sehun made a humming noise, “I was told to take some time off as well, and well…you know how insistent my mom can be.”  
His words were spoken in a low tone and Jongin resisted the urge to shiver. It might have been his imagination, but Sehun was too close to be casual and every time he moved or said something, Jongin could feel it. “I-I think all mothers are that way,” Jongin stuttered out and before he could berate himself for sounding dumb, the door finally unlocked and swung open.

  
A cloud of dust wafted into Jongin’s face and he immediately sneezed. The small sound made Sehun chuckle and ruffle his hair as he passed by and took the luggage to the closet. “I’m surprised you still sound like a kitten when you sneeze, _Jonginnie_.”

  
The stress on the nickname had Jongin narrowing his eyes even as he wiped away the post sneeze tears. “Hey! I’m your hyung, so show some respect for your elders.”

  
Popping back out of the closet, Sehun took one look at Jongin with his ruffled brown hair, his worn jeans, and his fuzzy oversized sweater and he chuckled. “Right, like I would consider someone with _sweater paws_ my respected elder.”

  
Looking down and seeing his fingertips brushing the hem of his pink sweater, Jongin quickly pulled the soft sleeves up to his elbows. “There!” He said smugly, smoothing out the rest of his sweater as he grinned cheekily up at Sehun. “Problem solved, so call me hyung from now on, Sehunnie.” The familiar use of Sehun’s name slipped out unintentionally and when Jongin realized what he said, he covered his mouth and his eyes widened in shock. ‘ _Oh no! I was too familiar with him! Now he’s going to think I’m weird.’_ They may have been close as children, but Jongin hardly knew the man who stood before him. Even if he was familiar with Jongin first, he might somehow find offense in a practical stranger—

  
“Nope. I like the way Jogninnie sounds, it’s almost as cute as you,” Sehun countered easily, stepping closer to his elder and gently pinching his cheek. “As a compromise, you can call _me_ hyung anytime you want.”

  
Swatting away Sehun’s hand, Jongin tried to will away the color threatening to rise in his cheeks again. “You aren’t my hyung!” He protested weakly, Sehun’s eyes and proximity nearly robbing him of all coherent thought.

  
Sehun drew away from Jongin with a smile that held more weight than Jongin would expect from someone he had not kept in touch with in years. “You know, it’s good to have you back.” Sehun’s sudden confession had Jongin startling out of his thoughts and looking at him with parted lips and wide eyes. Leaning close one more time, Sehun left his words brush against Jongin’s ear before he disappeared down the hallway.

  
“I missed you a lot.”

 

 

 

∞

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be the first chapter of a new surprise fic. But I have never completed a chaptered fic, so I wrote 2.3 chapters of this. 
> 
> The second part will be posted when I get more WiFi (#^.^#)


	14. [SeKai] Now Look Here!

 

 

Waking up in the room that he had grown up in was a little disorienting. For a moment, when Jongin had opened his eyes and saw the sunlight streaming in through the curtains and highlighting the Big Bang and Shinhwa posters in his room, he was transported back to a time when he was a kid.

  
He almost expected his alarm to begin blaring and his mother to rush into the room to yank the covers off of him. But then the events of the day before came into mind in a flash of colors, sounds, and most importantly, a feeling and ash coal eyes.

  
_‘I wonder what Sehun’s life was like after he left?’_ Jongin thought, sitting up in bed and squinting at the bright morning sunlight. It may have been more than a decade since the last time Jongin saw Sehun, and in all that time the younger man must have gone to school and graduated. Maybe he was in college or working at an office? There was a lot that could have changed in all the time that Jongin and Sehun had been away from their small town, and despite not outwardly admitting it, Jongin was curious about Sehun. A small part of him also wanted to get close to Sehun once again to learn new and old things about him and generally find his old friend again.

  
A knock at his door had Jongin snapping out of his thoughts and he was almost startled at his father’s muffled voice come through the door. “Jongin, wake up! Your mother has gone on a cooking spree in the kitchen, but I can’t guarantee there’ll be enough food left for you to eat if you decide to sleep in.”

  
“I’m up!” Jongin shouted, easily springing out of bed and scrambling to reach the door. He opened the heavy wooden door to see his father smirking on the other side, already dressed for the day in a simple shirt and fitted slacks.

  
“You still look half asleep.” His father pointed out, smiling once more and laughing when Jongin huffed and swatted him out of the way as he walked down the hallway. “I am half asleep,” Jongin muttered, ignoring his father’s chuckle as he followed his son down the hallway. When they reached the stairs, Jongin took his father’s arm and helped maneuver him down, even if he did protest needing help.

  
Once downstairs, Jongin’s mother was in the kitchen, humming softly along to the song playing on the radio as she stood in front of the stove. The smell of a western breakfast, bacon, eggs and toast permeated the air. A small basket of blueberries was placed in the sink, rinsed off and dewy in the morning light. Deciding to be sneaky, Jongin crept to the sink and reached out to grab a handful of blueberries.

  
“Jongin, if you’re going to eat those, at least wash your hands.” Mrs. Kim called out without turning around. Pouting, Jongin did as his mother asked and washed his hands before he dived into the blueberries.

  
“Aish, this boy hasn’t changed at all.” Mr. Kim grumbled, though he hid a fond smile behind the newspaper he was reading at the table. Jongin was prepared to mumble something back about the apple not falling far from the tree, but when he turned around he almost choked on the few blueberries he managed to shove into his mouth.

  
“That’s not exactly true Mr. Kim, I can spot a few differences between the Jongin now and the one I knew when I first moved here.” Sehun said with a sly smirk, his eyes not so subtly looking at the widened collar of Jongin’s old shirt, almost baring one shoulder. His heavy eyes then traveled lower and took in the sight of Jongin’s long bare legs, his black sleeping shorts doing nothing to hide anything. Jongin shuffled a bit under Sehun’s scrutiny and he resisted the urge to run back upstairs and put on some pants and maybe comb his hair. Compared to Sehun who looked effortlessly handsome in his plain jeans and fitted white shirt, Jongin felt like a slob.

  
Luckily, Jongin was saved when his mother steered him to his seat and gently forced him to sit down. “Food’s done, now sit down and eat.” Mrs. Kim chirped happily, her black and white hair now contained in a French braid.

  
“Sehun, that includes you too,” Jongin’s mother added insistently as she set the table. Mr. Kim nodded in agreement and he folded up his newspaper, using the wadded bundle to pat the seat next to him, directly across from Jongin. “You can sit right here Sehun.”

  
Smiling, Sehun muttered his thanks and took the seat, not missing an opportunity to send Jongin a playful wink, meaning he was caught staring at Sehun. Immediately blushing, Jongin looked away and began poking at his freshly prepared food.

  
“So Jongin, how is life in the nation’s capital?” His father asked, breaking the silence and catching everyone’s attention.  
Jongin gulped a little and tried not to look like a deer caught in the headlights of a speeding truck. “Well, things have been good so far. I’ve become a fairly successful writer so I don’t have to worry about bills.”

  
“You write?” Sehun asked as he finished pouring vast pools of syrup on his pancakes. “I thought you wanted to be a dancer.”

  
Jongin avoided his eyes, his shoulders tensing for a moment before he let himself relax. “It didn’t work out that way…” There was a time and place for everything, and although losing his budding dance career to an old back injury happened long ago, it still stung Jongin with bitterness. Maybe his life would have been more fulfilled if he were able to follow his dream.

  
“I’m sorry,” Sehun apologized and while Jongin hated to be looked down on with sympathy, Sehun sounded genuinely sincere. His contrite expression also may have helped Jongin loosen up, for some reason Sehun hadn’t outgrown his slightly pouty frown. The effect it had on Jongin’s senses was unbelievable.

  
“I-It’s fine!” Jongin settled for blurting out as he blushed and looked down at his food again. Feeling his own embarrassment crawl up over how awkward he was being, Jongin shoved some food in his mouth and hoped that he wouldn’t say anything dumb.

  
Mr. Kim scrutinized Sehun quizzically. “I’m surprised you remember that detail.”

  
Startled, Sehun fidgeted in his seat and Jongin had to fight back a smirk at how flustered he was. It was definitely much more amusing to be on the other side of embarrassment. “I-It’s nothing. It’s not every day a _boy_ wants to be a dancer, so of course I remembered.” Any other time, Jongin would have probably been offended by the sexist remark but he was too amused by the pink on the tips of Sehun’s ears to say anything.

  
Mrs. Kim laughed at Sehun’s response. “As if you’re one to talk Sehun, you wanted to be a florist.” But unlike Jongin, Sehun did get close to his dream, if being a landscaper counted.

  
A memory of a younger Sehun making flower crowns and forcing them on Jongin entered his mind and the brown haired man chuckled along with his parents. “I remember that! You almost cried when Kimchi chewed up a dandelion.”

  
Sehun’s pale face was definitely flushed a nice pink and Jongin wanted to tease him until the blush turned red. “I don’t remember that.” Jongin snickered and he opened his mouth to say more, until Sehun suddenly got a playful glint in his eyes. “And at least I’m not the one who talked like a baby until second grade. My dog’s name was _Kim-ssi_ and you _still_ call him _Kimchi_.”

  
Shutting his mouth immediately, Jongin sat back in his seat and pouted in embarrassment, this time his face flaming nearly hot enough to rival the sunrise. Mrs. Kim watched Jongin busy himself in a fluster and she caught the fond eyes Sehun shot at her son, but instead of saying anything, she discreetly nudged her husband in the side. When he grunted back and looked at her, Mrs. Kim pointed to the two young men and saw understanding flash within Mr. Kim’s eyes. Meeting gazes, both nodded at one another with small smiles.

  
_'We need to do something.'_

  
With that in mind, Mrs. Kim finished eating and as the dishes were cleared away by a dutiful Jongin, she latched on to her husband’s arm and led the way back upstairs, calling out to Jongin when he shot her a curious glance. His hands were buried in soapy water and he somehow managed to get a few bubbles smeared on his cheek.  
“Son, we’re out of sugar for the blueberry muffins. Your father and I are going to run to the market and get some.”

  
Perking up from where he was rinsing and drying dishes for Jongin, Sehun spoke up. “Oh Mrs. Kim, you don’t need to go through all the trouble, I can do it for you, or maybe I have some left in my house—”

  
“No, no, it’s fine!” Mrs. Kim said, waving Sehun off quickly. “This old man needs the exercise and we have enough time to spare on a simple walk to the store.” Mr. Kim huffed and grumbled about being called an old man, but one sharp look from his wife had him shutting his mouth and accepting the walking cane she handed to him meekly.

  
“Alright, if you’re sure…” Sehun trailed off.

  
“Just help Jongin tidy the house and we’ll be back in a blink.” Mrs. Kim replied and she smiled sweetly at the confused duo, nearly shoving her husband out the door.

  
“Well she doesn’t seem to need nearly as much help as she said she did.” Jongin said with a huff.

  
Sehun turned back to face him and his eyes immediately fell to the smear of foaming soap on his cheek. His smile was more similar to a smirk as he reached up and wiped it off with his thumb, “Well she may not need any help, but you still do Jonginnie.”

  
Jongin turned away and tried not to blush, the phantom brush of Sehun’s calloused thumb almost making him want to touch his cheek. “I-I don’t need any assistance!”

  
Sehun laughed and the deep rumble of it reminded Jongin of gentle thunder. “You say that now, but I still remember the time you got caught in a rose bush and cried until I came to pull you out.”

  
This time Jongin couldn’t hold back the red flush that painted his cheeks. “Shut up! That was when we were kids, it doesn’t count!” Jongin hissed, glaring at Sehun and trying to will away all the embarrassment he felt.

  
“It’s okay, I didn’t mind taking care of my cute _dongsaeng_.” As he spoke, he stalked closer and closer to Jongin until he had him nearly pressed back against the kitchen sink. “And I still don’t mind.” He was so close now that Jongin could feel the heat radiating from Sehun’s taller body, and smell the strong earthy and rainwater sweet scent radiating from him. It reminded Jongin of spring and summer, when the scent of fresh and green growing plant life was at its peak.

  
Almost as if he were drawn closer by a magnetic pull, Sehun leaned down and his dark eyes pinned Jongin in place. Thinking that he was going to kiss him, Jongin clenched his hands into fists against the counter behind him and he fluttered his eyes shut, letting his head tilt up and his moist lips part just the slightest. He didn’t know he wanted it until a chance was presented to him, and Jongin couldn’t hide the way his heart palpitated in anticipation, Sehun was more than intriguing, not to mention handsome.

  
However instead of feeling lips press against his own, Jongin felt a splash of cold water drench the back of his shirt. Letting out a shriek, Jongin’s eyes flew open and he saw a cackling Sehun holding the head of the sink's removable water hose, the spout still spraying a light mist at him.

  
“Oh Sehun you bastard!” Jongin shouted as he tried to grab the hose from Sehun and spray him back. The younger man merely gave him his now signature smirk and held the spout above his head, being cheeky enough to keep the still spraying head aimed down at Jongin.

  
“Come on hyung, can’t you reach it?” Sehun teased, greatly enjoying the way Jongin’s brown eyes narrowed behind thick eyelashes. He looked as threatening as a puppy, but Sehun couldn’t help gasping in surprise when slim and nimble fingers dug into his side, traveling over his stomach and up under his arms. He felt his own muscles twitch on reflex and he looked down at the older male.  
“Jonginnie, are you trying to tickle me!?” Sehun asked he felt his heart nearly stutter over a beat when Jongin pouted up at him with his chin propped on Sehun’s chest, his arms unknowingly wrapping around Sehun’s waist.

“Yes. How the hell are you not affected? Are you even _human_?”

  
Laughing, Sehun shut off the water spray, deciding that a soaked Jongin in a see through t-shirt was enough to tempt his sanity. “I’m not six anymore, that doesn’t work.”

  
“But it works on me!” Jongin replied a bit sulkily, biting the inside of his cheeks and looking genuinely put out that Sehun wasn’t weak to tickling anymore.

  
“Oh?” Shun hummed, a strange glint entering his eyes as he looked down at Jongin, dropping the hose and ignoring the sound it made as it clattered against the side of the sink. “So that means, I can do this-?” and before Jongin could react, Sehun’s arm wrapped around his waist and his other hand drifted to his sides, his long wriggling fingers making Jongin squirm immediately.

  
“N-no!” Jongin said breathlessly, desperately trying to hold in a giggle when Sehun kept up his attack. “A-ha, stop S-Sehun!”

  
Enjoying the sight of laughter induced tears drawing up at the corner of Jongin’s eyes along with his wide smile, Sehun pressed closer and redoubled his tickling assault. ”Nope, I’m not stopping until you call me _hyung_.”

  
“Nn-ever!” Jongin replied, his words nearly lost in a giggle.

  
“Well, then I’ll just have to make you.” Sehun said in a blasé tone, though his eyes betrayed how much he enjoyed having Jongin at his mercy.

  
“Well. You boys move quickly.” Mrs. Kim said, her tone amused and a wide smile on her face as she took in the way Jongin was practically swallowed in Sehun’s embrace. Both males had wet shirts and wide surprised eyes, but only Jongin looked as if he took a shower with his clothes still on.

  
“Dear, I think we should leave them be.” Mr. Kim said, a paper sack of sugar held within one arm and his other intertwined with his wife’s, his cane dangling from his hand.

  
“Oh, you’re right. Jongin, we’ll be staying at your aunt’s in grandma’s old neighborhood.” Mrs. Kim chirped, turning around and taking her husband along with her. “Be good, but not too good!” She called out before the door shut behind the couple.

  
Silence and embarrassed tension filled the room and Jongin squeaked and pulled away from Sehun, his face flaming as he avoided the taller man’s eyes.

“Oh my god, I-I j-just…I’ll be in m-my room!” With that said, he darted away from Sehun and ran up the stairs, the tops of his cheekbones a visible red even from Sehun’s rooted area in the kitchen.

  
With the weight of Sehun’s dark eyes on his back, Jongin decided to stay as far away from him as he could. Sehun was just too dangerous for his heart and his mental health, there was no way that being short of breath and dazed in front of another person was normal, much less if said person was his estranged friend Sehun.

 

 

  
∞

 

 

 

**Bonus Scene Ⅰ:**

 

Jongin had no choice but to claw out his eyes if he wanted to keep his sanity. Sehun was outside and had been for the past few hours, and while Jongin could appreciate the work he was putting into their lawn for his parents free of charge, Jongin really wanted to throw a shirt out the window in the hopes that Sehun would take it and put it on.

  
Because a shirtless, muscled Sehun walking around outside glistening under the heated sun and looking all kinds of sinful while dripping sweat, should be illegal. And Jongin really should be paying attention to his book, but his eyes kept slipping out to the front yard from his perch on his old room’s sitting sun spot.

  
As if sensing his eyes, Sehun paused what he was doing and he looked up at the second story window Jongin was sitting in front of with one leg drawn up and his shorts riding up his tan thighs. The view had Sehun dry swallowing, but when he noticed Jongin’s stricken eyes, he smirked and waved.

 

 

 

**Bonus Scene Ⅱ:**

 

  
Kim Jongin was a menace. He was oblivious and he was dorky. He was also driving Sehun insane with how cute he acted naturally and how he could switch to sexy within the blink of an eye. He was also the sweetest human on the planet and he had a good sense of humor, though that may just be on accident. Sehun couldn’t count how any times he had to stifle giggles because Jongin did something adorable in confusion.

 

 

 

 


	15. [SeKai] Golden Roses, Silver Thorns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sehun is a bound alpha who can't help but take a second look at the King's new concubine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really tried to write smut with the idea that if I do it once, I'd be able to get over my shame and write another one ╥﹏╥
> 
> Unfortunately, this is as close as I got  
> ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ

**Golden Roses, Silver Thorns**

 

**Pairing: SeKai     Minor KrisKai**

**Summary: Sehun is a bound alpha who can't help taking a second look at the King's new wild omega, after all, it's a bound alpha's duty to look after the King's concubines while he's away.**

**Notes: Failed smut, ABO verse, possible soul mate AU, and WARNING: Graphic depiction of violence ahead, read at your own risk**

 

 

Sehun can remember the day that he was captured like it was just yesterday. He kind of saw it coming, but he was still shocked and unbelievably hurt that his brother pointed him out and then collected the reward for him when he was caught, bound and then shipped off to the palace.

 

  
The same bastard who ordered his capture and paid for him was sitting right in the middle of the opulent hall. The tall man had thick blonde hair and his teeth shined in the low candlelight when he laughed. His fangs gleamed mockingly at Sehun and if he weren’t currently bound and forced to sit at the edge of the hall, he’d have punched the smug alpha right in the jaw.

 

  
As it was, Yifan was a royal, a King, and he was untouchable to a defanged slaved alpha like Sehun.

 

 

“My king, would you like more wine?” The omega Luhan simpered at the man, curling up into his side and lifting a graceful goblet of glass and gold to his alpha’s lips. Luhan was swathed in silk, embroidered elaborately with beautiful mandalas of wealth and paisley motifs of fertility. The silken pants he wore were tapered gently to the floor, sweeping away from his feet and the slit layers gave teasing glimpses of thigh and anklet bound feet. Yifan obligingly tilted his head back and he expectantly waited for the omega to pour the wine into his mouth.

 

‘ _Tch, lazy expectant bastard can’t even lift his own wine and take a drink!_ ’ Sehun thought spitefully, eyeing the way Yifan's throat bobbed when he swallowed. Others were obviously eyeing the King's concubine, the little omega Luhan and his blue silks, the diamond choker at his neck no more than whips of silver thread and woven jewels. It was near scandalous for an unmated omega to even think of showing their neck, but Luhan had enough sway in the court for the lords and ladies to keep their mouths shut in his presence. That didn’t stop them from whispering whore behind his back, though.

 

Yifan finished the entire goblet of wine and once done, he grabbed the glass and slammed it down on the table with a triumphant shout. “Tonight, my court, we celebrate the successful downfall of the Kita!” He bellowed, his alcohol laden voice echoing in the hall.

 

  
Many lords and their mates, ladies and their slaves, cheered and the guard watching Sehun kicked him harshly in his side when he didn’t join in on the congratulatory shouting.

 

“Grovel, slave!” The guard whispered vehemently, his booted foot digging into his side. Sehun snarled at him and he let a low growl rumble in his chest. “I’m _not_ lowering myself to the mindless puppet standards of this court!” He replied and the hall fell silent at his words.

 

  
Yifan stopped laughing obnoxiously and his face turned cold as he regarded the Bound Alpha and the troubled guard. “Oh? And what would a slave know of anything outside of puppetry? You seem to not recall the stings that I have bound you in, this makes you no better than a puppet and like the rest of my court, I am _your_ _master_.”

 

  
The tension was evident in the room and Sehun stood to his full height against the outer edge of the wall, his broad shoulders falling back and his lips curling in challenge.

 

“You hold no domain over me, and I ain’t bowing to a toy prince who sits on the throne while his father’s out and fancies himself a fucking king.”

 

  
Yifan’s face darkened and he shoved Luhan away from his side, ignoring the omega’s alarmed looks and subtle calming touches. “I am King, and no bound and chained, defanged alpha slave is going to challenge my rule!” He shouted and he looked even angrier when his eyes flashed red, the wolf within raising to the unspoken challenge and begging for a fight.

 

  
Sehun opened his mouth to say more, but the guard in charge of him saw his captain shoot him a warning look. So before Sehun could get in another insult, the guard drew his sword and used the butt of it to practically smash in the edge of Sehun’s jaw.

 

  
Pain blossomed in Sehun’s mind an all he registered before his eyes slipped closed was Yifan’s smug expression.

 

 

↭◈◈◈↭

 

 

Waking up was absolute hell, Sehun’s head was pounding and he groaned when he shifted in place. The room spun as he sat up and Sehun had to grit his teeth before he finally cracked his eyes open.

 

  
Sunlight streamed in through the barred windows of the dungeon and the cold stone floor made his joints ache. The scratchy straw strewn on the floor poked into his skin and he could feel a few errant straws sticking to his arms and face.

 

  
“Me and my big fucking mouth,” He cursed.

 

He was knocked out and thrown into the dungeon before he could so much as try and make a leap for Yifan.

 

  
‘ _Hell, for all the trouble it got me, I should have made a pass for the feast food before I got kicked out of the dining hall.’_  Sehun thought, rotating his head and lifting both his hands to work out a kink in his neck as his stomach rumbled in hunger. The chains connecting his hands rattled and Sehun didn’t have to look up to know that he was chained to the stupid hook on the wall above his head.

 

  
Sighing, Sehun used his hands to brush off the straw from his body. He supposed that after the luxury of not seeing the bastard prince for a few months, he grew complacent. Luhan was despondent the entire time the prick was gone, though that didn’t stop him from whining at Sehun until he gave in finally fucked the concubine through his heat.

 

  
It was something that Sehun had to do, but he hated every moment of it. There were rules to being a Bound Alpha, and the one he hated most was the fact that he couldn’t fucking cum. It sucked because the omega or the occasional horny beta would moan and writhe until they got release and he’d be stuck with a painful knot that couldn’t swell because of the stupid ring he had to wear. Not like his bed partners ever noticed, the abominable thing had a fake knot on the base that Sehun wished were hollow so he could at least find some relief. But over time, it was something that Sehun grew used to, and the inability to release had made him the most stressed and irritated alpha in the courts.

 

  
The other Bound Alphas would sympathetically pat him on the back when they passed by, but if felt nothing more than condescending because Sehun knew they had partners who would slip off their ring from time to time. Yet it seemed that Yifan hated him more than anything, and aside from forcing him to deal with his harem of needy omegas, the prince treated him like dirt beneath his shoe. Therefore, he ordered Sehun to be bound at all times, forcing him to walk around with a ring and an uncomfortable fake knot on all the damn time.

 

  
Sehun supposed that it was supposed to make him ungraceful and look like an idiot, but the privileged in the court flocked to his side and wanted to bribe him for a place in his bed. And despite the pain, Sehun filled his nights with debauchery to spite Yifan, purposely leaving marks and even scent marking his catch for the night just to see Yifan’s lip curl in disgust in the morning when he woke up to a roomful of servants and advisors who positively reeked of Sehun.

 

  
In return, Yifan would throw him into the dungeon, but it wasn’t like Sehun had a particular attachment to the gilded and decorated room that he was forced to work in. Besides, Sehun had to live in much worse conditions with his brother before Yifan brought him here to serve. Sometimes Sehun liked to delude himself into thinking that the straw mat on the floor was the one in his old home by the ocean, and when he slept he often dreamed of waking up alone and free to do as he wishes. Sometimes he also dreamed that he was fucking his mate and he came in droves.

 

  
That thought had Sehun groaning in frustration because his stupid dick twitched in interest. Those dreams were the best, because his dream mate was all shy glances and wide dark eyes, plump lips and a cute nose. It also didn’t help that his dream mate was unbelievably sweet and innocent, so much so that Sehun brought him to tears in pleasure in his dreams. His mate was his ideal and Sehun had to resort to images of bronzed skin, plump lips, and curved supple flesh just to get threw screwing some of the court betas who didn’t often have enough pheromones just to keep him hard, much less interested.

 

  
‘ _Fuck,’_ Sehun cursed, looking down at his lap and noticing that he was now hard. He was sorely tempted to stroke himself, but the snug ring would just prevent him from reaching an orgasm. It would be a waste of time, but if he was turned on anyway, he might as well indulge himself with images of his dream mate. Closing his eyes, Sehun leaned his head back and recalled his most recent and vivid dream, it might have also been his favorite so far.

 

  
In the dream, Sehun was in a small hut, homey and clean, and everywhere a sweet tantalizing scent reached his nose, it was like the spice cinnamon mixed with the taste of sugar and fruit and he always felt relaxed. In this particular dream, he’d go outside and see the ocean glinting in the sunrise light and just twenty paces in front of him was his mate. Sehun would say something in his dream and the omega would turn around with a laugh and a beautiful smile that made his heart beat faster. Sehun usually wasn’t one for emotions or sweet words, but something about his dream mate made him want to write poetry and make a fool out of himself just to hear that laugh.

 

  
They’d sit and watch the sun for a while, the omega resting his head on his shoulder and Sehun would feel…content. Then being the wild and uncultured alpha he is, he would get horny and jump on his mate out in the open.

 

He’d take him in front of the ocean with soft sand acting as a pillow. Sweet moans and little whimpers would fill his ears and Sehun would knot the pretty thing, coming undone with a name on his lips. _Jongin_.

 

  
Opening his eyes, Sehun felt the last of his memories fade away. He wanted more than anything to leave the palace and find his dream mate. He wanted his freedom and he wanted the little hut on the seaside. He also wanted to enjoy his damn knot.

 

  
Footsteps echoed in the hall and Sehun felt like growling when a familiar scent assaulted his nose. He wanted to be left in peace for once, but then the prince wouldn’t be himself if he didn’t bother to make Sehun’s life more difficult.

 

  
“Well, I came here searching for a more obedient and meekly compliant slave, but I suppose that all you Bound Alphas are incapable of even something as simple as self-restraint.” Yifan drawled as he stopped in front of the bars of the dungeon, his eyes showing his disgust and his sleeve held up to his nose to block out the smell of Sehun’s arousal.

 

  
Sehun felt his eyebrow twitch in irritation and he had a few choice words about Yifan’s own libido, but he held his tongue and settled for growling out his question. “What the hell do you want you bastard, did you decide to come and apologize to a lowly slave?”

 

  
Yifan growled in response and his eyes flashed red, the dominating aura expelling off his form and making his little entourage curl up submissively behind him. “Silence! I owe you no apology!” He shouted angrily. He snapped his fingers and he turned and harshly glared at a nearby guard. “You, open the damn cage and place this-” He gestured to Sehun rudely before he turned back. “-Slave on the post in the courtyard.”

 

Sehun paled at those words, but he refused to show his fear on his face. Yifan seemed to be able to sniff it out though, because the man smirked at him when the guard rushed to open the door. “I came to give you one last chance to beg for forgiveness, yet it seems that I will have to show you that punishment begets those who speak out of line.”

 

  
Sehun didn’t fight when the guard came in to unhook his chain from the wall, but he did give the man a swift kick to the groin. The man groaned and fell over in pain and Sehun smirked in triumph, standing up and jumping at the bars of the locked dungeon. The bars and the chains rattled from the force he used to hit the door and Yifan reflexively took a step back.

 

“I’m _not_ a slave, and I _never_ will be! You should pray to your gods that I don’t ever break free, little prince.” He threated, his teeth barred in a snarl that was threatening even with his filed down and capped fangs.

 

  
Yifan collected himself and he snapped at the guards standing uselessly at his side. “Get him out to the courtyard, NOW!”

 

 

↭◈◈◈↭

 

 

In hindsight, Sehun kind of wished he wasn’t so rebellious. He never listened to his beta brother and he often got into fights at the village tavern, even though his opponents were all grizzled seamen and he was about a foot shorter than him. Sehun guessed that over time, his brother grew to resent him because he always had to pay for the damage Sehun caused with apologies as common as hellos. In fact, an act of rebellion had caught Yifan’s eyes and made the prince hate him since the moment they met. It also didn’t help that Sehun antagonized him with insults and blatant disrespect, something that he still did now that he was a Bound Alpha.

 

  
_‘Damn, I should have spit on him when I had the chance.’_ Sehun thought with a grimace, shifting as the rough wooden pole scratched his chest and the unforgiving rope chafed at his restrained wrists. Spitting on Yifan wouldn’t be as satisfying as punching him, but it would at least make Sehun feel more accomplished since he was being punished for nothing more than a few insulting words. ‘ _Fuck the prince needs to get that damn stick out of his ass.’_

 

  
“Ready!” The postmaster called and Sehun really wanted to hate the guy, but he couldn’t really fault him for doing his job really well.

 

 

That still didn’t stop Sehun from fucking his mate and marking her before she went home after washing the palace sheets.

 

  
Yifan must have made a signal because Sehun heard the postmaster inhale and then sharply flick his wrist, sending the barbed cat-o-nine tails crashing against Sehun’s back.

 

  
Sehun gasped, but he quickly shut his mouth and grit his teeth against the familiar pain. The punishment was just beginning and Sehun never cried or begged for it to stop, something he was proud of though the scars that usually remained on his back after made him sick.

 

  
“Again.” Yifan called and Sehun didn’t have to see him to know that he was frustrated by a lack of screaming. The postmaster nodded and the sound of the whip sailing through the air made Sehun tense in anticipation. The cat-o-nine tails didn’t disappoint and it cracked as it met Sehun’s skin. He could already feel the wet drip of blood on his back and he was biting the inside of his cheek so hard now that he could taste the coppery blood on his tongue.

 

  
“ _Harder_!” Yifan called and the postmaster began to sweat nervously, this time he brought his whole arm back and swung with force. Sehun had to bite back a whimper as the pain exploding on his bloody back and his tender ribs. It had him seeing black spots at the corner of his eyes. The jagged pieces on the tailed whip weren’t for decoration and Sehun really wished he could break Yifan’s neck for ordering the postmaster use the whip on him rather than the wickedly fast single whip he usually used.

 

  
Soon enough, Yifan growled out at the postmaster to move faster and harder, but Sehun stayed silent. By now he was sure that his back was raw and bloody. He was getting delirious with pain by now and it was making him see stars.

 

  
Another crack of the whip had Sehun grunting and Yifan huffing in frustration. Spitefully, Sehun lifted his head and he easily caught sight of the two Yifan’s sitting to his right with an irritated expression on his face.

 

Sehun spit at the Prince's feet and he gave him a bloody smile. Yifan yelled out an order that sounded as if he were submerged in water and Sehun laughed when the whip met his back, this time the blood arched off him in a spray and little red droplets dotted Yifan’s face.

 

  
The prince merely wiped the blood away with distain clear on his features. Luhan flinched and he avoided Sehun’s eyes, which the Bound Alpha found funny because Luhan was usually begging Sehun to fuck him with his doe eyes.

 

  
Yifan’s face twisted and Sehun felt his chest moving. ‘ _Oh, I’m laughing_ ,’ He though idly, his head falling forward limply when the whip cracked again and he finally lost consciousness in a haze of pain.

 

 

↭◈◈◈↭

 

 

_The calm ocean waves lapped at the shore peacefully and Sehun sighed in content. He was relaxing after a long day of fishing and distantly he could hear someone moving toward him, the sand shifting under small feet. “Hey, what are you doing out here, alpha?” A playful voice asked and Sehun looked up to see Jongin leaning over him, a fond smile on his lips and a mischievous look in his eyes._

 

_“Dinner is ready, don’t you want to enjoy your one good catch?” He asked and Sehun blinked at him in a daze._

 

  
_“Hey, I have a good catch every day!” He protested absently, turning back to watch the sun kiss the surface of the ocean._

 

  
_Jongin sighed Sehun heard more shifting sand before warm arms wrapped around his shoulders. Shorter than him when they were standing, Jongin was a tall as him when he was on his knees and Sehun was sitting._

 

_“What’s wrong, alpha?” Jongin asked and Sehun shivered when the warmth of his breath brushed his neck, right next to his moon shaped scar._

 

  
_“Nothing’s wrong….I just feel…Lost?” He hesitantly said._

 

  
_Jongin shifted behind him and Sehun tensed when something warm and rounded brushed against his lower back. “Well, even if you get lost and feel like the tumultuous sea, even if your eyes fill with sadness and you look through me at times, I’ll stay right here, at your side.” Jongin murmured against his skin, his lips pressing into Sehun’s mating scar with a light butterfly kiss. “I know that you won’t tell me all your worries, but please, don’t feel as if you are alone.”_

 

  
_Sehun turned his head back and he saw Jongin’s worried face, his wide brown eyes filled with pain for his mate’s sadness. “Silly, who said anything about feeling lonely?” Sehun asked, leaning forward and bumping his head against Jongin’s._

 

  
_Jongin smiled, but it looked like a grimace and he sighed against Sehun’s lips. "You know, loneliness loves being lost.”_

 

  
_Sehun stared at Jongin, who met his gaze before he sighed and stood up, his loose clothing moving with him and Sehun felt paralyzed as he watched him turn around, walking back to the hut with small cautious steps. He felt stunned and he found himself following after Jongin, missing his warmth and his loving eyes. He hated when he was sad, and though he didn’t know what was wrong with him now, he wanted to comfort Jongin, not make him cry. Crying wasn’t good for the baby._

 

 

↭◈◈◈↭

 

 

Sehun jolted awake and he blinked away the tears that gathered at the corner of his eyes. Nothing but the soothing scent of lavender reached his nose and Sehun lifted his head, his arms moving to support him automatically, however Sehun’s arms trembled and he fell face first into a pillow.

 

Pain radiated from his back and Sehun cursed aloud, finally remembering that he was injured.

 

  
“Fucking prince! I’ll tie him to the post one day and let the whip fall on him for once!” He shouted, his words muffled by the delicate smelling pillow.

 

  
“Tsk, cursing so early in the morning is not good for one’s health.” A calm voice chided gently and Sehun groaned again, turning his head so that he wasn’t smothered by the pillow he was using.

 

  
“Oh, it’s Yixing, the _miracle_ doctor who can cure _any_ ailment in the royal family!” Sehun said snidely, the pain in his back making him feel frustrated. “I’m sure that the King is recovering from his ten year illness with haste with the Great Miracle Doctor Yixing at his side!”

 

  
Yixing smiled at him and Sehun could see his eyebrow twitch. “Well, in the palace, our reputations tend to precede us.” He replied coolly and Sehun watched as the doctor strolled into the room and began rifling through the opulent cabinet set against the wall. “Though your reputation is sullied and you are known as the wild dog of the courts. A rarity among all the other docile Bound Alphas.”

 

  
Sehun scoffed. “Wild dog, is that the most scathing thing that the court whores can say about me?” He asked.

 

  
Yixing smirked wryly and he adjusted the framed lenses in front of his eyes. “You are not one to talk, you are a whore in your own right, Sehun.”

 

  
Sehun frowned and he turned his head so that he faced the wall. Yixing chuckled and Sehun heard him gather a few things before he set a chair next to him. “ _Aww_ , are you sulking now?” He asked with amusement lacing his tone. Sehun disliked the doctor very much, but he hated Yifan more. It was just annoying to deal with the beta doctor because his naturally neutral pheromones made him feel relaxed, even though Sehun was sure the bastard experimented with him while he was sleeping. Yixing also tended to say things that cut him deep and he always had knowing look in his eyes, like he knew that what he was saying got to Sehun.

 

  
Yixing received a grunt from Sehun as his answer and he laughed, adjusting the ridiculous contraption on his eyes. “Was that too much? I apologize if I have offended your delicate sensibilities.”

 

  
Sehun turned to face the doctor again and he glared at him. “I’m not fucking _delicate_ you fake!” He growled.

 

  
Yixing ignored him while unwrapping a sheaf of leather, soon revealing a ceramic pot that was bound with twine. Humming lightly, he untied the painted pot and he pulled off the lid. The scent of bitter herbs filled the air and it was so familiar to Sehun by now that he didn’t even blink when the doctor scooped up a fair amount of the green paste.

 

  
“This will sting, but it is infused with enough omega saliva to heal you up by the end of the day.” Yixing said, repeating the words Sehun had heard nearly a thousand times by now. By contrast, omegas could heal with their saliva. Alphas had some venom in their fangs but any omega could negate the effect with simple lick, it was beyond useful when soldiers injured one another in savage fights that could end up with multiple alpha bites.

 

  
“Get on with it, I’m not some pup you need to comfort Doctor.” Sehun grit out and Yixing raised a brow at him as he efficiently began spreading the healing paste over his opened and raw wounds. The doctor must have cleaned him while he was sleeping and Sehun was glad that he wasn’t awake to feel the rough cloth or the hot water on his back.

 

  
Sehun barely flinched at the small burn of the herbs. In his opinion, nothing could ever hurt worse than the crack of a whip on bare and bloody skin already littered with wounds.

 

  
“Why are you so stubborn? Surely you must tire of the near routine punishments.” Yixing broke the silence. “It’d be easier on your body and you’d have a much more comfortable life if you just listened to the prince and followed orders.”

 

  
Sehun opened his eyes and he glared at Yixing, his lips already curling back in a snarl that had no effect on the indifferent beta. “I’m not going to act as a slave, because I’m _not_ one! He’ll never have the satisfaction of me bowing my head or kissing his feet and groveling to him like every other coward in this fucking place. He can’t bring me down!”

 

  
Yixing blinked at him and the reflection of the glass lenses in front of his eyes blinded Sehun for a few seconds. “You already are a slave, why fight the chains already on your wrists, why deny anyone who comes to you for pleasure, why even bother to fight when life’s comforts depend on your submission? I’m sure any alpha within the kingdom would kill to take your place within the courts as a favored Bound Alpha.” As he was speaking, he finished placing the paste on Sehun’s back and he sat back with his hands clasped in his lap, his eyes searching Sehun for an explanation.

 

  
“ _Bound Alpha_.” Sehun spat darkly. “Do you even understand the meaning of it? Of course not.” He answered and his eyes became glazed with and anger and a sadness that Yixing couldn’t help but admire. “A Bound Alpha gives up his most basic instinct to _dominate_ when the stupid ring is placed on their body. It’s like a chain or a curse that makes an alpha weak and unable to claim an omega or beta. Not claiming, not finding release, obeying and submitting, that’s against everything an alpha is made to be and I _won’t_ subject myself to that! I’d be no better than the omega whores who line the streets at night to beg for anyone to spend the night with them for a few coins. I fuck on my own terms and Yifan would have to kill me before I ever acted like a submissive fucking _Bound Alpha_.”

 

  
Yixing fixed the lenses on his face and the sound of Sehun’s panting filled the room, the spittle from his shouting having soaked into his pillow. The smell of anger was strong even to his own nose and Sehun wondered why Yixing wasn’t shrinking back in fright.

 

  
“Rancor never fixed any situation, though I suppose it is what keeps your resolve to fight strong.” Yixing said calmly, eyeing Sehun thoughtfully. “Though such strong feelings can make one reckless and for that, I cannot help you in this, nor can I use your help without feeling as if you will expose every secret with one well worded rant.”

 

  
Confused, Sehun opened his mouth, “Doctor, what-”

 

  
“Yixing! The King requests your presence at his bedside, another fit has occurred and he won’t accept his medicine unless it comes directly from you!” A little squire interrupted. The pup was no more than ten years old and Sehun hated that such youths were born into a subservient station within the palace.

 

“Very well, I will attend to him now.” Yixing said with a sigh as he gathered up his stuff and put it away, his hands moving swiftly in practiced movements. He grabbed a leather bound journal along with an apothecary’s box full of ceramic pots that smelled foul and unnatural to Sehun.

 

  
The pup nodded and beamed when Yixing gave him an indulgent pat on the head.

 

“Oh,” The doctor gasped aloud, turning to face Sehun still lying on his stomach in the medicine room. “Your wounds will heal within the day, however I strongly advise you to stay in bed and keep your mouth shut. Angering someone who may attack while you are weak will not benefit either of us.” He warned with a stern expression.

 

  
Sehun mustered the strength to wave him off with a toss of his hands. “Fuck off.” He said with no real bite in his words. The talk earlier wore him out and he felt more confused than ever, which is a feat in itself considering the fact that the doctor spoke in fancy medical terms that Sehun never understood.

 

  
With one last look, Yixing left the room and Sehun was left alone with his thoughts. Yixing was saying something about secrets and had Sehun been smarter or more in a nosey mood, he’d have pestered the doctor for answers until he cracked and told him something. It was a long shot because it took everyone in the palace to learn his birth name after two years, but Sehun was stubborn and he had nothing but time on his hands. Especially now that he was too weak to move and actually attend to his duties within the courts.

 

  
‘ _Tch. Those horny bitches can use their fucking hands for once._ ’ Sheun thought spitefully, thinking of all the labors of sex. He used to like it and he was considered something of a rogue in his old village because he jumped on every woman and boy who gave him more than one appreciative glance. His brother was sore at him for sleeping with the village’s chief’s daughter, an omega he was sweet on. Too bad she liked alphas and insisted on doing inappropriate things within the village temple. Maybe it was her way of spiting her father for refusing to let her marry. The old man was dead set on making her a temple maiden but since she lost her innocence no temple would accept her.

 

  
Letting his mind wander to the joys of omegas before he was bound, Sehun eventually found himself thinking of his dream. Recently they had gotten more vivid and more detailed aside from fucking freely, and it was leading Sehun to feel as if they were memories rather than something his idle brain conjured up.

 

  
After all, it wouldn’t make much sense for Sehun to dream of a mate when he hated all forms of ownership. Being mated would only tie him down and force him to feel; even the thought of it had Sehun cringing because he couldn’t deal with his own emotions at times, how was he going to deal with the emotions of someone who had the power to kill him?  
At least that’s what he was led to believe. His brother told him stories of their parents, a mated alpha and omega who loved each other so much that when his mother died giving birth to him, Sehun’s father followed soon after. It was probably meant to be comforting, the story of how their parents love was strong enough to transcend death, but Sehun found it horrifying. If his mate died, he’d find another one and never leave his pups to fend for themselves in a village full of judgmental assholes. Though when he’d said that aloud, his brother gasped and Sehun got the only whipping he ever received in his life then. He guessed even betas lost their temper from time to time.

 

  
Then again, the Sehun that was in his dream was content with things, he wasn’t scared of commitment and he even took pride in moments when his omega marked him with timid little kisses and scratches during sex. Hell it felt good and sometimes Sehun wanted to find Jongin just to bite him and claim him. It was a foreign concept to him because the current Sehun hated any marks and he always took his partners from behind or bound their hands so that trimmed little claws wouldn’t mark up his scarred back. He also never kissed anyone here within the five years he’d been in the palace.

 

  
‘ _Aish, I should just never sleep again, the little omega is too much trouble for a dream fuck.’_ Sehun thought with a restless grunt. He raised himself onto his knees and Sehun gingerly searched for his clothes. Yixing had specifically told him to stay in bed but Sehun was practically the incarnation of rebellion.

 

  
So he moved slowly and pulled a loose fitted shirt over his head. It wasn’t the soft and silken fabric that the concubines loved to dress their Bound Alphas in, but it wasn’t near as rough as the cheap wool and linen that Sehun used to wear back in his village, so it was bearable.

 

  
Gingerly Sehun flexed his arms and the skin on his back and shoulders pulled taught with the movement. It felt like an uncomfortable tugging, but the wounds didn’t reopen and the green poultice on them didn’t crack even though it was dry.

 

  
Smiling, Sehun quickly stood up and left the medicine room, intent on leaving and paying the bath house a visit. Maybe if he pulled a cutesy, helpless act one of the old omegas running the bath house will send a pretty maid to help wash his back, healing poultice be damned. He didn’t need the assistance of some faceless omega to heal on his own.

 

 

↭◈◈◈↭

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I didn't realize I cursed this much in the story ⊙﹏⊙
> 
> Anyway, I wrote more, but the actual SeKai meeting is still in the blueprint/outline stage 
> 
> Once again, comments are welcome!  
> (´・ω・`)♡


	16. [SeKai] Golden Roses, Silver Thorns

 

Sehun sighed as he came out of the steamy tiled room. He felt much better now that he’d gotten a chance to wash away the grime on his skin and before he washed it off, the poultice had healed up his cuts so that they were no more than light scratches and freshly healed pink lines.

  
“Come back here anytime Sehun.” The old lady running the bath house said, the pipe hanging from her mouth billowing smoke with every breath.

  
Sehun smiled and he felt good enough to wink cheekily at the old woman’s granddaughter. The pup giggled and waved back, yelling out bye as he walked down the paved way to the inner courts.

  
He wasn’t allowed to leave the palace in general, but it had an inner and outer court that could be freely traversed. Humming a little under his breath, Sehun passed the gate and he actually took a moment to admire the small garden located within the middle of the courtyard. The balconies of the upper level of the palace over looked the garden and Sehun knew that the concubines usually flocked to the place, set on comfortable cushions and eating fruit and delicate desserts the cook made every day.

  
_‘I wonder where all the little leeches are.’_ Sehun thought, glancing up at the empty balconies. By noon, everyone was out here, gossiping and waiting on the side while their mates or partners did some sort of political business inside the palace. ‘ _Am I missing something?’_ As far as he knew, today wasn’t a holiday.

  
Little footsteps rushed past Sehun and he turned his head to see the pup from Yixing’s room earlier running around frantically with red cloth bunched up under his little arms.

“Hey!” Sehun called and his deep voice made the pup jump.

  
“Y-yes alpha!?” He answered, stopping and rushing in front of him, bowing down quickly. He looked flushed and tired.

“Uhh, do you know what’s going on? This place is empty.”

  
The boy nodded and his too long fluffy hair bounced in his eyes before he blew it out of his face. “Yes alpha, the prince is expecting a new concubine today!” He said and he looked around before he leaned closer to Sehun and dropped his voice to a low whisper. “Mama said he’s a wild omega from Kita! And the prince is only accepting him ‘cause their King threatened a war with us if they didn’t at least bond and be family.”

  
Sehun laughed and he fondly ruffled the pup’s hair. He was really bright and he seemed to have a happy disposition. “The land of Kita huh, didn’t the prince celebrate their downfall last night?” He asked, leaning down to whisper the last part in the pup’s ear like a secret.

  
The boy laughed and he giggled at the silly alpha. The other adults never really bothered to talk to him, they just ordered him to do stuff. “Heh, Mama said that the prince likes to talk a lot when he has _spirits_ in him. I don’t think anyone haunted can speak, but Mama don’t believe me.” He said with a huff, looking confused for a moment.

  
Sehun chuckled and he stood back up. “Your Mama knows her stuff, though I think she meant the prince talks a lot when he drinks too much wine.”

  
“Wine? Is that the one that smells really sweet and strong?” The pup asked, tilting his head and looking up at Sehun curiously.

“The very one,” Sehun replied gravely. “But only fools and rich men drink it, so be a good pup and stay away from it.”

  
The boy nodded vigorously and his hair flopped back into his face. “Yes alpha!”

Sehun smiled genuinely. “Well thank you for talking to me, I think I’ll leave and see what all the fuss is about.” He said and the pup waved at him before he turned and ran off again, looking a bit more cheerful than before.

  
‘ _A new concubine, huh?’_ Sehun thought idly, leisurely strolling past the garden and into the halls of the palace. ‘ _I’m not surprised, the horny bastard likes collecting pretty things and he likes keeping a collection that he can’t even take care of properly alone._ ’ He snorted and he thought of all the omegas Yifan kept around in his pleasure quarters. Luhan was a famous beauty in the courts and he appeared to be a favorite of the greedy prince’s. Though occasionally Yifan did have a few others by his side, they all varied and had their own charm and beauty.

Some of the other Bound Alphas were envious of him for taking care of Yifan’s harem, but it took a lot of stamina and Sehun sometimes wished that Yifan hadn’t caught him. It was hell when more than one omega went into heat at the same time.

Walking past a room full of frantic maidservants, Sehun turned down a familiar path leading to his room. It wasn’t his specifically, though the room was one given to him so that he could perform like a _good little Bound Alpha._ He had snapped his teeth at the guard who said that and he’d had his fangs filed down the next day. Wild alpha bites were apparently harder to treat than the tamed clean ones of the courts.

Standing in front of the curtained room, Sehun roughly pushed aside the curtains and the familiar stifling scent of incense filled the room. Silk cushions littered the floor and Sehun let the sheer curtains fall back into place over the doorway. A modest trunk was lined against the wall opposite the open doorway and Sehun made his way to it with practiced ease. Lifting the heavy lid, soft fabric spilled out and Sehun picked the least decorative one. He hated that most were gifts from the people he had to entertain, and the silken dyed fabric and servant embroidered clothing were things he often pushed aside.

  
Dressing quickly, Sehun looked up and his reflection was staring back at him from the mirrored ceiling. Dark hair swept across his forehead and he pushed it back. It fell into his face again and Sehun scowled at his reflection, deciding to leave the room.

Out in the hall, things were mostly quiet though an occasional rushed servant or slave brushed past him. However, that all changed when he drew nearer to the grand hall that he was forcibly removed from the night before.

Hordes of court nobility were impatiently waiting to be arranged around the table that the prince and the king were to sit at. Yifan’s concubines were already spread out and arranged near the seats that have yet to be vacated by the prince or his father.

  
‘ _Good, looks like the toy prince isn’t here to stop me_.’ Sehun thought as he entered the room from the servant entrance, taking care to keep his face angled away from the busy guards. He sat in a secluded corner and he watched the dining hall slowly fill with people. Occasional serving girls passed by and Sehun helped himself to the delicate foods arranged on trays meant for the main table. He had learned his lesson now, he would indulge on all the food he could get his hands on before he pissed off Yifan again.

Eventually the hall was filled to the brim with people and the barrage of different scents and perfumes was cloying and thick. It nearly made Sehun want to gag, but he focused on other things, mainly how he would take his time killing Yifan slowly and running triumphantly into the sun with his freedom and a pretty omega at his side, preferably the one from his dreams. 

  
Suddenly the whole hall fell into a hush and from where Sehun was seated, he could see the countless guards walk leisurely into the hall, their ornate swords were very blatantly hanging from the thick silken sashes at their waist, though they were in all neutral bronze and olive green colors.

A small figure walked in the middle of the entourage and the stark white and beaded silk of their headdress caught Sehun’s attention. Under the silken veil, the person’s features were covered and the silk ran down to the floor in a slight train, though Sehun didn’t have to see under the white silk to notice that the new concubine had walked into the room with bare feet. Every time he took a step, small toes peeked out from under thick gold cloth and the sight alone brought a smile to Sehun’s face, the new concubine seemed like someone unconcerned with their appearance or reputation if they stuck to their own natural customs and preferences, even while stuck in a hostile foreign land.

  
Hushed whispering was heard throughout the room and Yifan’s face was slowly twisting into a displeased scowl. The guards finally stopped once they reached the middle of the room and all of them simultaneously curled their right hands into a fist and laid it over their hearts before they all sank into a crouch, bowing their heads. The lead guard, a man with a stern face, spoke up and announced the new concubine in a booming voice.

  
“Young King, this is the first prince of Kita, Kai,” Once mentioned, the veiled concubine fell into a graceful bow. “We thank you for your hospitality.”

  
From his jeweled thrown, Yifan scowled and waved at them with a hand. “Never mind the introductions, remove the veil.” The guards all stiffened and the general in charge seemed to clench his jaw, his hands forming a rigid fist even as he remained bowing.

  
A younger guard, who obviously didn't have as muck self control as the general, raised his head and spoke up. “Young King, it is a custom for our people to remain unseen until the mating vows and marks have been exchanged.” Yifan’s displeased expression at being corrected was enough to have Sehun almost spitting out a gleeful laugh, but he managed to rein it in when the new concubine stood up once again.

  
“Zitao, it is fine,” Kai said and his voice was beautiful, heavy and deep, yet lilting and familiar all the same. It had Sehun confused and intrigued all at once and he felt a vague excitement settle below his stomach, he wouldn’t mind finding the time to take care of the new concubine.

  
“As a guest of this land, I will have to adapt to new customs and traditions,” Kai reasoned and he reached up with a slim hand, the golden sleeves of his clothing falling to his elbows and exposing pretty skin, smooth except for the intertwining lines of gold etched into the honeyed flesh.

  
However, when the beaded veil fell away, everyone gasped. The new omega was nothing like the ones Yifan had within his court, he had brown eyes, thick brown hair and a strong jaw. He did have a few typical omega features, like soft red lips and rounded eyes, a cute nose. But most similarities ended there, he was not pale and whiter than the moon, he was kissed by the sun and the golden tattoos placed on his arms ran in intricate patterns across his forehead, forming a permanent crown.

His eyes were strong and clear, and unlike most omegas, he was unashamed to meet Yifan’s eyes straight forwardly. Kohl lined the outer corners of his eyes and it blended out like smoke, gold was dusted on the tops of his cheekbones and out of everyone within the room, Sehun thought he was beautiful and exotic.

 

  
And _his_.

Kai looked exactly like Jongin.

 

  
“What kind of harlot are the Kita sending the King!?” Someone gasped out near Sehun. Confused, the alpha looked around and saw many people hiding their mouths behind their hands, as if the simple action would hide their words. 

 

“His neck is uncovered!”

  
“How scandalous, throw the veil back on!”

  
“Are all people of the western lands so dark?”

 

  
Looking back at Kai and seeing the unaffected expression on his face, Sehun let his eyes travel down and he was only a little surprised to see that the omega was not wearing any sort of necklace or covering around his neck, it was bare and the smooth skin on display looked tempting in the light of the hall.

  
“SILENCE!” Yifan yelled and Sehun imagined multiple audible clacks echo in the room with how fast some nobles had shut their mouths.

The leader of the guard, the oldest from what Sehun could tell, stood up from his crouched position and Sehun could see that his jaw was twitching with how tightly it was clenched. To be able to see the flame in his eyes even from the outer corner of the hall had Sehun liking the new people from the land strong enough to force a bond on the spoiled toy king, Yifan.

  
“I was sure that someone was sent to your quarters with clear instructions on customs, dress, and behavior in within the palace.” Yifan said and though he sounded displease, Sehun knew that he was eyeing the omega’s neck with the slight haze of arousal pooling within his eyes.

  
The guard looked ready to tear into Yifan at any moment, and based on the tense posture of the younger soldiers flanking the new concubine, he was not the only one feeling that way. However, before any real fighting could begin, Kai stepped forward and he fell gracefully into a low bow that had him crouching on the floor, his forehead nearly touching the hands clasped in front of him.

“My King, I apologize for this misunderstanding. Traditions are hard to change within a single day.” His voice was placating and the smooth submissive tone had Yifan bristling less, the alpha within him obviously preening at having another royal crouch at his feet.

  
“I will overlook it this once.” Yifan frowned and his pleased expression melted away into one of clear order. “However, you _will_ learn your place here. I will not tolerate the barbaric customs of your home country any longer than I have to.”

  
Though the omega stayed bowed and voiced his agreement before sitting up, Sehun caught the brief moment when his hands tightened and his fingers clenched.

The new concubine had pride, but this was something of a different variety, instead of being overly concerned with his style of clothing or his possessions like others of Yifan’s harem, he was proud of his country, of his home, of his traditions.

  
And Sehun found himself being attracted to it the way a storm was attracted to power. All he had in common with the collected Kita omega was pride, but he found that as two people displaced within the palace, it was all they had. And as the feast wore on, and the peace agreement between the two countries signed in blood, the feeling of intrigue and familiarity never once left Sehun.

 

 

  
↭◈◈◈↭

 

 

  
Overindulgence was something Sehun could definitely be accused of without feeling defensive. As a free man, he liked to indulge in mischief and sex, and as a bound alpha he overindulged in food and drink. Trouble would be added to the list, but Sehun never actually sought it out, it just happened to follow him wherever he went.

  
So after a night of festivities and a quick romp with a more tolerable omega in Yifan’s harem had him in a fairly agreeable mood as he roamed the halls of the servant’s quarters, intent on finding more food and drink to gorge himself on.

  
_“-ince, we cannot stay here!”_

  
Now, living in a place as full of gossip as the palace was nothing new to Sehun, and he had had more than his fair share of eavesdropping moments. Yet, the voice that spoke next stopped him from venturing on to the kitchens anyway, the wolf within him no longer content to let the people have their privacy.

  
_“Tao-sah, you know that I have no say in the matter. I have made a vow to serve my people, and here, that is what I will do.”_

  
That voice belonged to Kai and before his mind registered what he was doing, Sehun was pressing himself into a slight niche between the wall and one of the wide entranceways, the kitchen at the end of the hall forgotten in favor of listening to the Kita talk in the guard’s quarters.

  
“ _But these people, they are so soft and so high born! They cannot compare to us, and yet—”_

  
_“Enough! Zitao, mind your station. This is what the Honored King has decided for us all, you should be thanking the Prince for his benevolence! We cannot afford to cause another war._ ” This was a third voice and Sehun racked his brain to place a face to it. It took a few moments, but he was able to remember the older guard within the group with the same voice.

  
Silence overtook the room before a heavy sigh reached his ears. “ _Kaejin, don’t be so harsh, he doesn’t want to start a war, he’s concerned for my wellbeing._ ” Now this was interesting, Kai had lost his soft and polite way of speaking and his words took on a less formal edge, comparable to a clean version of what Sehun himself would spew out every time he opened his mouth.

  
There was some shuffling in the room, and Sehun nearly fell over when Kai’s voice came back full of faux bright cheeriness and optimism.

  
_“But I’ll be fine! My King was just unused to me, I’m sure I can make him remember…”_

  
‘ _Remember what!?_ ’ Sehun wanted to ask, dying to know if Kai and Yifan had met before. Though for some reason Sehun couldn’t justify, he felt uneasy at the thought. He knew that Kai was out of his reach, he was after all to be Yifan’s first bond, but he hated being reminded once again that Yifan could easily snatch all that he desired.

“ _Kai-sah you can’t mean that it’s him! The man’s selfish and insufferable.”_ Sehun assumed it was Zitao’s outburst this time.

  
_“Zitao!_ ” Kaejin growled in warning.

  
A laugh filtered out the closed room door and based off the fluttering in his stomach, Sehun knew it was Kai. “ _It’s fine. I can’t remember much of my dreams, but… their frame is the same. My soul mate was also a little selfish and insufferable at times, it might be him…”_ Kai said, and Sehun found his own self deflate a little. Kai already had a mate, and though he sounded unsure, it could be Yifan. That meant that this Jongin look alike was not his—

  
“ _Kai-sah, are you sure? Your dreams are vague and the high priestess advised you to bide your time until the mark appears._ ” The concerned tone of the older man had Sehun wondering what could be the danger of sleeping and dreaming.

  
“ _Jin-sahya, I’m alright. I have you and Tao-sah to look after me, don’t I?”_ Kai’s voice was so fond, Sehun knew that he considered the two guards as more than friends, and maybe to an extent, family.

  
Kaejin remained quiet, but Sehun gathered from his weighted and labored sigh that he had bad news.

  
“ _Sahyi, we can’t stay here. The young King is wary of strange soldiers within the palace, we leave once the moon wanes and the water settles under the bridge.”_

  
A gasp coming from who he assumed to be Kai reached him and he wanted nothing more than to comfort the omega who reminded him of his own soul mate.

  
_“I-Is this true?”_ Kai asked and he sounded so very small even as Zitao spoke up. “ _I won’t leave your side. If you ask me to stay Kai-sah, I will.”_

  
“ _The young King will protest this Zitao! We cannot risk a war for our own selfish reasoning._ ” The head guard replied and he sounded hollow. It was heart wrenching to hear that the close trio could be broken up, and feeling oddly like an intruder now, Sehun made a move to creep away before he froze and his entire body hummed in disbelief and shock.

  
“ _Jongin, Sahyi, you have a duty owed to our nation. We will be gone, but your new life is here, with the young King.”_

They conversed some more and Sehun barely realized he was stumbling away, until he crashed into his assigned room, ripping the useless curtain aside to immediately fall onto a soft silk cushion. His hands were shaking as he pushed his now sweaty strands of hair out of his face.

  
‘ _Kai is Jongin, my soul mate!_ ’ for a brief moment, surrounded by the choking and yet comforting scent of court incents, Sehun allowed his hear to soar in joy, his wolf howling within him at the fortune of finding his mate.

  
A sleepy sigh and a brief flash of pale skin at his side had Sehun once again being drawn out of his thoughts. One of the more overlooked omegas within Yifan’s harem was still lying where Sehun left him earlier, and the mere sight of the little thing had the bound alpha crashing into reality.

  
Yifan was to be bonded with _his_ mate, while Sehun was forced to watch. What made it worse was the fact that Jongin could barely recall his dreams, and based on what he overheard, the Kita prince seemed to think that Yifan was Sehun.

The bastard really could take everything he desired, just to flaunt it before Sehun, the prideful alpha pathetic enough to be caught and bound.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
**A/N:**

  
**The – _sah_ was not a typo! In this, the Kita have their own terms and use of endearments, mainly because I wanted to solidify the fact that they are in a historical setting that is not quite Korea. ~~And I maybe wanted to make up some cute and breathy sounding words to screw with Sehun’s sanity~~**

**Here is a basic key:**

  
**- _Sah_ is a version of the Korean –Ah placed at the end of a name. Applies to all names, end consonant or not.**

  
**- _Sahya_ is a word that is used for someone very close to you, mainly family members and older friends, not gender specific.**

  
**_Sahyi_ is used for children, and it’s used alone, not placed on the end of a name like the other two.**

 

  
~~**Lol, I guess I’m notorious for leaving people hanging now, but if I made this into a full fic, would anyone read it?** ~~

 

 

 


	17. [KaiSoo] Surprise?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jongin suspects Kyungsoo is cheating, but what he finds is even more shocking than possible infidelity...

 

**Surprise?**

 

**Pairing: KaiSoo**

**Summary: Jongin suspects Kyungsoo is cheating, but what he finds is even more shocking than possible infidelity...**

**Notes: This was supposed to be part of my Valentine fic collection, but I didn't finish it in time for the 14th, and I had some bad stuff happen on that day so I kinda lost inspiration for it...**

 

 

Jongin was pissed.

Not because he'd spilled his hot coffee all over his finished paperwork first thing in the morning, not because he couldn't sleep with the sound of city traffic blaring through the open window of his stuffy apartment, but because it was February fourteenth.

That was the second week of the second month of the year and his horrible boyfriend didn't bother to send flowers, or candy, or even surprise him with balloons and a ticket to the spa downtown. All Jongin got was a text that said good morning like every other day and a gentle reminder to pick up the dry cleaning from last week before the place closed that evening.

So what was Jongin doing now? He was sitting in the living room, throwing back wine like it was sparkling water.

He was beyond pissed that the day had gone so wrong and he was more than ready to castrate the _little_ bastard he unfortunately called a boyfriend.

Flushed with anger, Jongin glared at his phone, but upon seeing the wallpaper was a selca of him and said _short prick_ smiling and laughing, he quickly changed the background to a puppy. It was a childish, spiteful thing to do and he felt a little vindicated, until a text popped up on screen.

  
**From: Do Kangasoo ♡♥♡♬**

**Hey Jonginnie. Staying late for work. Have dinner w/o me, love u.**

  
' _Damn you,'_ Jongin though spitefully, pressing his wine glass to his lips again and tilting the glass up, only to realize that it was empty. Blaming Kyungsoo mentally, Jongin groaned and slumped into the couch, his face nearly being smothered by the arm of the seat. A pillow was wedged up against his ribs and feeling uncomfortable again, Jongin sat back up and pointed an accusing finger at his phone.

"I curse you idiot! I hope your dick falls off every Valentine's Day from now until you die!" He said, his voice cracking over some words before he hiccupped and flopped onto his back with a surprised giggle.

Despite the low picture Jongin made, he really was a calm and relaxed person, if a little on the sweet and excited side of things. He'd just had one unfortunate thing happen after another today, and after being with his boyfriend for more than two years now, he'd kind of been expecting something lavish like all the previous years.

When they first began dating and were still in the honey moon stage of things, Kyungsoo bought him tickets to a well known ballet, then he'd taken him out to a fancy dinner at a restaurant with a French name Jongin was one hundred percent sure he would mispronounce. Then before walking home, Kyungsoo held his hand and pulled a slim rectangular box from his suit pocket. It was a charm bracelet from one of the upscale jeweler's they'd passed at the mall once, and get this, it was the _exact_ piece of delicate jewelry Jongin was admiring at the window before he caught a glimpse of the price tag.

Jongin may or may not have promised himself the marry the man as Kyungsoo clasped the bracelet on his right wrist and then stood back up to pull him into a deep kiss. While one year anniversary Jongin was happy and blown away, second year Jongin went through a similar event, but the current Jongin was glaring at the ceiling and tapping absently at his wine glass with a well filed and buffed finger nail.

"I've been too lax in his training." Jongin finally settled for saying aloud, nodding to himself as the drunken epiphany washed over his mind. "Yes, that's it! I haven't been training him right," Jongin agreed with himself, pausing to hiccupp. "He thinks that because I let him leave his dirty socks tucked into the couch that he can go off and be a lazy man." Kyungsoo was working, so he was in no way lazy, but buzzed Jongin was feeling way too indignant to let something as small as _details_ affect him.

"Jus 'cuz he cooks and remembers my birthday, and takes out the trash, an' gives goodbye, goodnight, and hello and good morning kisses don't mean he can skip o-on February fourteen. Fortenth. _Fourth_ teenth, yeah that's it."

Feeling his phone vibrate with another text, Jongin frowned and shifted on the couch, his arm cranking behind his back until his fingers grasped the smooth device. Putting it next to his ear, Jongin tried to answer it.

"Hello?" Nothing but silence met him and Jongin huffed. "If you're not gon' say anything, don't call." Letting his arm drop, Jongin swiped at the screen and tried to end the call, except he realized that he'd been trying to talk to a text message

  
**From: Do Kangasoo ♡♥♡♬**

**Why the hell won't you answer your phone!? Luhan you little shit, you better find the damn thing or Jongin will catch on. I can't have evidence of _this_ floating around before I'm ready.**

  
Shock washed over Jongin, sobering him up a little from his tipsy tantrum. ' _Evidence of what!?'_ He asked himself, narrowing his eyes at his own phone. ' _Is he...is he having an affair!?!'_

The mere thought of it made tears prick at his eyes and his heart writhe in agony. Taking a shuddering breath to stabilize himself, Jongin dropped his phone and let the screen fall asleep. "H-he wouldn't.... Right?"

But the incriminating text was on his phone mocking him, and now that Jongin considered things, Kyungsoo was distant the past week. In fact it all started at the beginning of the month when his old college friend Luhan-

"God damn it!" Jongin wailed, letting his hand come up and ruffle his own hair harshly, the pink strands were just a touch on the dry side and hearing the usually soft strands crinkle made Jongin wince and let his hands fall to his lap. "I should have known." He said out loud, glaring sharply at one of the pictures hung up on the living room wall above the couch. It was one of a very young Kyungsoo laughing with his arm thrown around an equally youthful looking man, almost feminine. He was also smiling in the picture and Jongin felt a sudden bout of anger course through his body.

"Fine you ass! You wanna cheat, I'll give you a reason to." He promised darkly, standing up from the couch and stomping into the room he shared with Kyungsoo, muttering angrily in English and Korean all the way.

Their room was a mashup of Jongin's things and Kyungsoo's things and over the years, the line between the two distinctions was actually more of a blur than a segment. So an angry Jongin had to actually stop and think about what he wanted to destroy. Clothing was out of the question, Jongin liked wearing Kyungsoo's shirts and sometimes his boxers, and vice versa. Pictures, jewelry, and shoes were out as well. ' _There has to be something in here we both don't share...'_ Suddenly a memory popped up in Jongin's mind and he smirked before turning to their dresser with a glint in his eyes.

Two years ago, Jongin was at a phone store looking through accessories for his new bright pink iPhone. There was a mixup in the shipping order and the store ordered him a new one on the house, however he needed a phone for work and his social life so he had to cover the garish highlighter bright color. There was a wide array of pretty cases with decorative flowers and copious amounts of glitter, but Jongin wanted something simple. So when his eyes caught sight of a black case, he quickly grabbed it. Triumphant, Jongin went to pay for his case, but he stopped by the cell phone accessories. There was a Pororo chain hanging on the wall rack. Ecstatic, Jongin made his way over to the miscellaneous accessories and he reached out for the chain-

Only he did so at the same time as another man. Shocked, Jongin had turned around and he came face to face with a doe eyed man who gave new meaning to the term stoic with his thick down turned eyebrows, narrowed eyes, and natural frowny pout to his shapely lips. Then he broke all Jongin's expectations when he smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners and lighting up his whole face. "Oh, sorry. You can have it if you want." He said in a surprisingly deep voice and Jongin had ended up giving the keychain to Kyungsoo, muttering an excuse about his favorite character being Krong anyway as a blush painted his cheeks a delicate pink.

Now Jongin was looking for the little blue penguin in a frenzy as he threw Kyungsoo's folded clothes on the floor, emptying the drawer and still finding nothing. Undeterred, Jongin looked through the next drawer and the next, until by process of elimination, the drawer closest to the floor remained unchecked. Sensing the end of his search, Jongin quickly pulled out the drawer and shifted the clothes around. A light tinkling of metal on wood had Jongin breathing out a sigh of relief and he reached further in the drawer, his hand easily wrapping around the small penguin he knew was in the dresser.

Pulling it out, Jongin held it up to the light and his smirk faded into a nostalgic smile. The little blue penguin was smiling and waving, one little flipper raised and the sight of its little goggled eyes and bright scarf had Jongin sniffling and fighting back tears. "I-I can't kill you!"

Letting out a theatrical sob, Jongin hugged the little keychain to his chest and wiped at his face, trying to think of a new revenge method. However his coordination was off and instead of going back to hugging the precious keychain, he somehow slapped the thing out if his own hand and he ended up dropping the penguin.

Wide eyed, Jongin crouched and tried peering into the crack between the dresser and the floor, however it was too dark to see anything. Cursing the fact that he let Kyungsoo install slippery hardwood flooring everywhere in the apartment, Jongin laid flat on his stomach and wedged his hand under the heavy piece of furniture, the thought of moving the now empty dresser frame never once crossing his mind.

' _Eww, I feel dust bunnies and hair!_ ' Jongin thought, scrunching his face into a grimace as he shoved his hand further under the dresser. But his disgust was short lived and he felt the edge of something under the small crack. Latching on to it, Jongin yanked it out, only to cough when a waft of dust flew into his face. Rolling over and sputtering, Jongin finally squinted at what he was holding.

"The hell?" He exclaimed. Instead of a Pororo keychain, he was holding a little black box. It was a faded grimy gray color and a white corner piece of paper was sticking out its side. Curiously, Jongin tugged on the paper until it came free and Jongin was surprised to see it was folded into an intricate oragami heart. He quickly began unfolding the paper, incurring a few rips along the way before he finally finished smoothing out the note. The paper was blank and Jongin huffed. What a waste of time.

Yet when Jongin let the paper flutter to the floor, it flipped over and the underside was filled with smudges of stark black ink. Seeing the words, Jongin snatched the paper back up, squinting a little as he tried to read the tiny handwriting in the dim lighting of the master bedroom.

 

_To my soul mate,_

_I have spent the last few years with you and they have been the happiest moments of my life. I cannot imagine a day waking up without seeing your messy hair or sleepy smile and hazy brown eyes. I cannot imagine ever coming home to an empty house again, and I would not want to. To me you are everything good in life, and for that I would like to ask you, Kim Jongin to make me happiest man on earth and marry me._

  
Shocked once again, Jongin sat back and slumped against the dresser, his head thinking against the antique wood. ' _Kyungsoo was going to propose?_ ' Then what about Luhan and that text?

Thinking it over again, Jongin blinked and then groaned and slapped his palm to his forehead. "He wanted to keep it a secret because he thought he lost the ring!" Kyungsoo wasn't cheating at all, Jongin just misunderstood things when his boyfriend sent the text to the wrong person.

Immediately remorseful, Jongin began cleaning up, but the little black box caught his attention again and his curiosity was piqued. It wouldn't hurt if he just took a _little_ peek at the ring that Kyungsoo purchased for him, right? Jongin could always act surprised when Kyungsoo actually proposed anyway.

With that in mind, Jongin grabbed the box and eagerly flipped it open. Inside was a little silk pillow and the most beautiful and unique ring Jongin had ever seen was set upon it. It was a rose gold band with an intricately cut diamond placed in the middle, but what had Jongin gasping in delight was the fact that it was a diamond roughly the same color as chocolate. He didn't know that diamonds existed in different colors and just the thought of the expense of the ring had Jongin nearly ready to faint.

Though he did manage to reel it in long enough to take the ring out of the box and slip into his ring finger. To his relief, the ring made it past his knuckle, and even if it was a bit of a tight fit, it nestled comfortably onto his ring finger and glittered prettily on his left hand.

Jongin the took a moment to look at his ring and wriggle his fingers, greatly enjoying the way the ring sparkled in the light in an array of gold and coffee tones. He sighed in contentment and if Kyungsoo were there, he would kiss him breathless and tell him he loved him a million times over.

A rattling of keys suddenly echoed in the front doorway and Jongin's shot up from his perch on the floor. ' _Oh no! Kyungsoo's home!'_ He thought in a panic. He scrambled to shove all the clothing back in the dresser drawers and he just managed to hide the ring box under the furniture again before Kyungsoo opened the front door. Acting nonchalant, Jongin ran a hand through his hair and prepared to meet his boyfriend in the front, but he paused when he noticed he was _still_ wearing the ring!

In a panic, Jongin shoved his hands in his pockets and walked out into the hallway. He was just in time to see Kyungsoo taking his shoes off at the door.

"Hi hyung," Jongin greeted nervously, hoping that Kyungsoo wouldn't notice anything strange about him. He planned to chase Kyungsoo off to bed before he started to take off the ring and hide it back into the box before shoving it under the dresser again.

"Jongin? Is something wrong?" Kyungsoo asked and Jongin cursed. Of course he would choose the worst possible moment to be a caring boyfriend.

Clearing his throat, Jongin willed away the rising heat he usually felt on his cheeks whenever he lied. "E-everything's fine." He finally settled for saying, keeping his hands in his pockets even when he felt like fiddling with his fingers or running and hiding in the room. Except he shared the whole apartment with Kyungsoo and there was nowhere to hide. 

"Alright..." Kyungsoo settled for saying sckeptically as his eyes took in the way Jongin shifted uncomfortably and refused to meet his eyes head on. "I'm sorry about missing today, work has been busy." The older man finally settled for saying, deciding that maybe Jongin was upset over not getting anything for Valentine's day. He _did_ have something planned for their third year together, but... Luhan happened. 

Jongin opened his mouth, prepared to wave off Kyungsoo's apoplogy because he got an engagement ring, but he paused and an idea entered his mind. Kyungsoo was waiting for an answer and Jongin only had time to apologize mentally before he turned his back to Kyungsoo and walked away from the doorway indifferently. "It's nothing. After all, what is _one_ missed day out of an entire year hyung?" He made sure to add a little steel in his voice, though he felt a little bad for trying to use a guilt trip to hide the fact that he was wearing a ring he wasn't supposed to find yet.

 _'I knew it,'_ Kyungsoo thought, biting his lip guiltily. He should have never let Luhan snoop around and then lose something Kyungsoo spent months saving up for. Still, unless Kyungsoo wanted to end up in the dog house for 'forgetting' Valentine's day, he would have to act as if he didn't know today was a holiday.

"Love, did you cook dinner? I haven't eaten yet," Kyungsoo hummed innocently, setting his shoes at the doorstep before entering the apartment just a bit cautiously. 

' _Aish, is there a ring on this finger? Who the hell is he to- oh wait.'_ Jongin thought, his mind immediately running back to the ring stuck on his finger. He had to get it off quickly!

Kyungsoo walks into the kitchen, rambling aloud the whole way there in an effort to hide his guilt. "If you didn't, its fine. I just had to stay in all day at the office and I skipped lunch. Did you know that the new vending machine on our floor has healthy stuff in it!? I couldn't even get some sugar to keep me going."

Acting as if he were paying attention, Jongin made vague hums of agreement as he twisted the ring on his finger and tried to pry it off. The pain of yanking on his skin and bone had tears ready to spring in his eyes, but Jongin grit his teeth and pulled harder. 

"Love?" Kyungsoo asked warily, hearing no real enthusiastic account ofJongin's day coming from the livingroom. He felt apprehension and guilt sweep over his chest and he really hoped that Jongin wasn't too dissapointed about the day. ' _Ah, I knew I should have at least ordered some flowers.'_

Preparing himself to face the music, so to speak, Kyungsoo sighed and stepped into the loving room just in time to see Jongin smiling at him with his hands behind his back.confused, Kyungsoo walked closer until he stood before Jongin. 

"Jongin, what are you-"

 

"Hyung! Sit down." Jongin interrupted, his smile taking on a more aggressive edge as he used his right hand to steer Kyungsoo into a seated position on the couch. He kept his other hand behind his back all the while and it made Jongin feel vaguely like a butler. When Kyungsoo's wide eyes peeked up at him, Jongin softened and decided to be truthful in his next statement. "You looked tired."

A soft and brilliant smile that never failed to send his stomach tumbling had Jongin blinking. "Thank you Love," Kyungsoo said, clasping Jongin's right hand in his and pulling him down into his lap and olacing a kiss on his nose before Jongin could react. 

"I love you," Kyungsoo said softly afterward, smile widening and a chuckle breaking free when a red flush worked its way onto Jongin's cheeks, casting him in a faint glow that made him look pretty in the late evening light.

Making a noise of embarrassment, Jongin buried his face in the juncture of Kyungsoo's neck and shoulder and he whined. " _Hyung_! Why are you so cheesy!?"

This time Kyungsoo's laugh was unrestrained and though it was bright and made Jongin just as giddy as it did when they first met, he pouted and swatted playfully at Kyungsoo's shoulder. A hand swiftly caught Jongin's left wrist and Jongin felt himself freeze. ' _Oh no...'_

"Where did you find this!?" Kyungsoo asked incredulously, his eyes on Jongin's ring finger, the sparkling chocolate diamond winking merrily back at him.

 

"I-I uhm...surprise?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who bothers to read and comment (*^▽^*)
> 
> I've decided to go ahead and write more for Golden Roses, Silver Thorns so look forward to it! 
> 
> BTW: to all Castaway the Heart reader, the third chapter will be up soon, I've written 6k so far, cheer for me \\(≧∇≦)/


	18. [Kai x OC] I See Only You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The school delinquent and the cold girl scared of touch make an unlikely pair.

**I See Only You**

 

  
**Pairing: Kai x Fem!OC**

**Notes: This feels like it was written years and years ago. Before I was writing yaoi, it was all female OCs and my bias XD**

**So if anyone is just here for them member x member pairings, you can skip this. However, this was inspired by the manga MARS, and that story is awesome. It has one of the most dramatic and dark storylines ever, it made me cry a little ^.^**

**(I also read it like twice and still loved it)**

 

 

  
Mae Ae Jung blew out a sigh as she stared out the window of her second floor class. Her English teacher droned on and on about something that she already heard a million times since she was in elementary school. It was a late spring day and Ae Jung followed a blue butterfly with her eyes. The small thing made midair loops and it drew closer to the ground, landing on a long blade of grass that wasn’t cut yet. ‘ _So pretty…_ ’ Ae Jung thought, for once allowing her usually gloomy thoughts to brighten at the sight of the small insect’s innocent life. The corners of Ae Jung’s mouth tingled and lifted a bit in a semblance of a smile-

  
And a soccer ball smashed into the butterfly, completely crushing it and with it Ae Jung’s hopes of being vaguely optimistic. A young man shouted and ran toward the soccer ball to retrieve it, but he paused when he saw somebody already reaching down and picking it up. Ae Jung saw nothing but a head full of dark brown hair, but she guessed by the way that the soccer player tensed that the boy picking up the ball was probably the school delinquent.

  
“The infamous Kim Jongin.” A voice came from next to her ear and Ae Jung panicked as she whirled up at her desk and pressed her back into the window she was staring out of. Wide brown eyes met hers and Ae Jung took a moment to register the fact that they belonged to Park Chanyeol, the loud kid who never fell for her cold act and left her alone like everyone else.

  
“Ah, s-sorry.” Chanyeol stuttered and Ae Jung relaxed slightly, tough she tensed even more when whispers began to start up. It was then that she noticed everyone was staring at her, their eyes ranging from cold and friendly to curious and bored.

 

“Miss Mae, are you alright?” The teacher asked in a concerned tone. He was a man who’s eyes seemed to linger a bit longer than what was considered polite when he looked at Ae Jung, although he hadn’t done anything to make her wary, besides scold her now and then for her short attentions span. That was another reason for her to keep her grades up, though that wasn’t hard to do when all she had to do was read her notes and do her homework on time. “If you are feeling unwell, you have my permission to visit the school nurse.” The teacher continued, his eyes staring far too long for Ae Jung to be comfortable.

  
“N-no-” She began to answer, though she was interrupted by harsh whispers, said just loud enough for Ae Jung to hear and not their near deaf teacher.

  
“ _Did you hear that!? The strictest teacher in the school is willing to give the Ice Queen a free pass to the nurse’s office five minutes before school is let out!”_

  
_“I know right?”_

  
_“The nerve of the Frigid Bitch.”_

  
_“I bet the reason she gets good grades when all she does in class is stare out the window is because she’s giving Mr. Kang **extra credit** after school!”_

  
Ae Jung frowned and she glared at the owner of the last voice, not surprised to see the familiar face of Areum. She was the classic picture of a Korean beauty, although her looks, her mother, and her grades could never quite match up to Ae Jung. And as the second best since grade school, Areum made it a point to give her hell every time she saw Ae Jung.

  
Turning away from the spiteful girl, Ae Jung addressed her teacher, her eyes meeting his directly. “As a matter of fact, Mr. Kang, I do feel a little unwell.” Ae Jung said, already picking up her bag and walking toward the door. The teacher said some useless generic phrases that inquired about her health, but Ae Jung ignored him and the heavy stare of the one classmate in the school who heard the whispers and said something to Areum.

  
“- _Fuck_ , you don’t need to be such a bitch to everyone!” Chanyeol shouted, shutting Areum up and drawing gasps from everyone in the room.

 

“Mr. Park!” The teacher shouted in a scandalized tone. The door shut behind her and the silence of the all was the only thing that Ae Jung could hear. Pleasantly surprised, Ae Jung let her stoic face fall and a small smile grace her face. ‘ _Maybe he’s different-’_

  
“Move out of the way!” A loud voice shouted and Ae Jung’s head whipped to her left to see a man running down the hall, several angry voices echoing behind him. Ae Jung felt her eyes widen in surprise, but before she could react, she was roughly shoved aside.

  
A flash of tan skin and dark hair was all she could see before the young man disappeared down the hall, the soccer players who were on the field earlier chasing after him as he ran up the stairwell leading to the third floor. “Jongin you bastard, get back here!” The soccer captain shouted and Ae Jung only had time to see a flash of his familiar profile before he disappeared down the hall after the infamous male.

  
Ae Jung blinked and slowly lifted her hand to her bruised forehead. “Ow…” She said softly to no one, her voice echoing in the lonely hallway. Ae Jung tried to stand up, but she winced when a flash of pain ran through her knees. Looking down, she saw the raw skin peeking out from the hem of her skirt; her knees were scrapped and bloody.

  
 _‘Why am I so easy to injure?’_ Ae Jung thought to herself wearily. Receiving no answer, she sighed and stood up and gingerly made her way to the nurse’s office. It seemed that now she had a legitimate reason to leave class early for medical attention. 

 



 

  
“Oh.” The nurse breathed out in surprise when Ae Jung finally managed to make it to the first floor. The older lady stared at her for a moment, until Ae Jung cleared her throat meaningfully. “Ah, right! Sit here sweetie.” The nurse said, opening one flimsy curtain and gesturing to the neatly made up bed.

  
Ae Jung sat down tentatively and the nurse gave her a reassuring smile before she turned around and began rummaging through the row of cabinets behind her desk. Ae Jung watched as she grabbed a small pile of cloth and a few bandages. She placed them on a small metal table at Ae Jung’s side before she ran off again, this time to wash her hands and grab a few bottles.

  
“Miss Lee, is this all really necessary?” Ae Jung asked as she skeptically eyed the various bottles of disinfectant. The nurse looked up from unraveling the bandages and gave Ae Jung a look of disbelief. “What do you mean? Aren’t you worried that you may get a scar?” She asked, genuinely curious.

 

Ae Jung tensed and avoided looking at the mirror hanging in the corner of the room, exposed by the removal of the flimsy curtain that was hanging around the bed. “I do not care about something so superficial.” Ae Jung replied in a tight voice. The wound on her forehead was not even bleeding and didn't need to be fussed over. It was her knees she wanted at least cleaned and bandaged anyway.

  
The nurse blinked and ten began laughing. “Oh my, that was a good joke.” She said, continuing to unravel the bandages. “ _Of course_ a beauty like you would be worried about scars.” It was said like a fact as the older woman finally finished her task.

  
Ae Jung frowned deeply, finally taking the chance to glance in the mirror and see her reflection. A petite girl with wide, doe-liked hazel eyes, full red lips, a slim nose, and long slightly wavy brown hair looked back at her. Ae Jung always hated her face, though everyone around her loved it. ‘ _Especially father…’_ She thought with a shiver, and a feeling of loathing welled up inside her so strongly that she whirled away from the mirror.

  
The nurse didn’t notice the moment and when she finished pouring an insane amount of alcohol on a cotton ball, she turned to face Ae Jung, staring at the wound on her forehead with a slight frown. “Alright dear, this may sting a bit.” The nurse warned before she pressed the fluffy damp piece of cotton onto Ae Jung’s forehead.

  
 _‘I knew it was just a bruise.’_ Ae Jung thought to herself with a small feeling of irritation welling inside her. The nurse didn’t notice Ae Jung’s lack of a flinch as she held the cotton ball to her forehead for a few seconds. When she removed it, she turned to the metal tray at the edge of the bed and picked up a large bandage. “Oh, I don’t think this will fit…” The nurse said in surprise. The bandage covered the entirety of Ae Jung’s forehead, but when the nurse held up a simple band aid, the bruise peeked out from the ridiculously patterned bandage. “Well, I guess we’ll have to improvise sweetie.”

  
Ae Jung prayed that the ditzy nurse had enough sense of mind to cut up the large, plain bandage so that it fit. But of course, the ditzy nurse merely bypassed the plain bandage in favor of grabbing two band aids. “Ah, now this will do!” The lady said, showing Ae Jung the hot pink band aids, covered in cutesy chibi bears. “Isn’t this cute?” The nurse asked, already unwrapping the pink mess and lining up the edges to the edge of Ae Jung’s bruise.

  
“…Yes…it’s _adorable_ …” The young woman said a bit sarcastically, not that the bimbo nurse noticed. Ae Jung swore that the staff at the school consisted of perverted old men and air headed female teachers who wore push up bras to school.

  
The crinkling of the second wrapper reached Ae Jung’s ears and she inwardly cringed when the second bandage was placed under the first one. “Done!” The nurse said triumphantly as she eyed her handy work with a pleased look on her face. “Now, would you like to see the final result-?”

  
“NO!” Ae Jung shouted quickly, startling the nurse and making her freeze before she could reach for the handheld mirror sitting at her desk innocently. “Ah, I-It’s just that I don’t want to see how…uh…ugly I look right now!” Ae Jung stammered out, flushing a bit at the outrageous lie.

  
The nurse blinked in surprise for a moment, but then she relaxed and she sent Ae Jung an understanding look. “It’s okay dear, you’re nothing short of stunning.” She said, making Ae Jung cringe again.   
The nurse smiled and she opened her mouth to say something, but the sound of knocking interrupted her. She turned around to see a student peek his head into the room. Ae Jung recognized him as the class president Luhan, the flower boy of the school who moved from China with his father, who recently received a promotion at a famous company that sold makeup. “Ms. Lee, the principle has requested your presence in his office.” Luhan said in a lilting voice, his honey blonde hair shining under the lights and making him look even more like and angel.

  
“Did he say why?” The nurse asked, suddenly growing serious at the mention of the school principle. Everyone in school knew that the Lee marriage was rocky at best, though Ae Jung was more sympathetic to the nurse than Areum and her lackeys who spread rumors about the older woman. 

 

Luhan shook his head. “I’m sorry miss, he only asked me to tell you that he wished to speak with you.”

  
The nurse cast one apologetic look at Ae Jung before she turned back to Luhan. “Alright, thank you Luhan.” The Chinese boy nodded and turned to leave, but the nurse quickly stood up and called him back. “Wait Luhan!”

  
“Yes?” He asked politely, his accent slipping though in his surprise.

  
“I need you to look after Ms. Mae here, I have a feeling that I will be gone for a while-” The nurse walked to the edge of her desk and picked up a slim file. She grabbed her white lab coat and unfolded it as she strode toward the door, struggling to put it on. “-and if not treated quickly, her wound has a chance of becoming infected.” Before Luhan could protest, the nurse was gone with a final click of the door shutting behind her.

  
Luhan gaped after the nurse and Ae Jung curled closer in on herself, trying to look as small and inconspicuous as possible. “W-well,” Luhan said awkwardly, turning away from the shut door and looking directly at Ae Jung. “I-I’m not confident in my skill as a nurse, but I’m sure that-”

  
“It’s fine.” Ae Jung interrupted quickly, standing on her feet and ignoring the pain in her knees in favor of picking up her bag and moving toward the door, skirting around Luhan. “I-I was just heading home now anyway.”

  
Luhan looked at her in confusion and when he tried to step closer to her, Ae Jung unconsciously flinched and her back hit the door behind her with a loud clatter.

  
“Miss Mae, are you alright-” Luhan began to ask, but before the question could even be finished, Ae Jung turned around and wrenched the door open. “Wait!” The blonde called out, and before he could process his actions, he caught up to Ae Jung in a few steps and grabbed her wrist.

  
Startled, Ae Jung gasped and turned around. When she saw Luhan’s face up close, she froze. Luhan blinked in surprise and he felt the words he wanted to say leave his head when he saw wide, hazel eyes looking up into his with fear. ‘ _S-so small…_ ’ He thought in wonder when he finally took notice of how short Ae Jung was. In a way, he expected her to be as large and intimidating as her reputation described her.

  
He’d seen her around at school, but he was a year older and was unable to spare her more than a simple glance every now and then. In a school like Silbeo-Mun Academy, only the elite elicited reputations that the entire school was aware of. Only three people in the entire school had such reputations, and not all of them were good. Luhan was known as something like a prince in the school, and his opposite was someone by the name of Kim Jongin. The third was known as the Frigid Bitch, and though Luhan frowned at the vulgar name used, he did nothing to refute the cruel nickname.

  
Ae Jung began breathing heavily, panicked memories filling her mind as she recalled hands similar to Luhan’s grabbing her and never letting go, even when she cried and pleaded. She could hear her own voice screaming out-

  
“ _Hey_! Let her go!” Someone shouted down the hall. Started, both Ae Jung and Luhan turned their heads and saw none other than Kim Jongin charging down the hall in their direction.

  
Ae Jung finally got a chance to observe the boy who shoved her aside and didn’t bother sending her so much as an apology before he ran off. ‘ _He’s darker than I thought.’_ Ae Jung thought to herself in surprise. Jongin had skin the color of light caramel, and instead of finding the tan to be dirty, she thought it brought life and color into the world. The sea of black and white at school could become a bit mundane, and Ae Jung herself was a combination of strange colors, her hair and eyes never being dark enough and her skin never being as snow white as Areum.

  
Jongin stood before the duo and he was so much closer than before, allowing Ae Jung to notice that he had very handsome features. Jongin’s dark eyes flashed dangerously as he slapped Luhan’s hand away from Ae Jung’s wrist and gently pulled the girl behind him in one fluid movement. “What are you doing here Mr. Class President, accosting unwilling young women in the middle of the halls so shamelessly?” The young man asked, surprising Ae Jung because Jongin’s reputation made him seem like an uneducated delinquent (she forgot that Silbeo-Mun Academy actually has a reputation and that only rich and elite blue blooded students are allowed to enroll).

  
Luhan’s expression became irritated and he opened his mouth to protest when then was interrupted by the shrill ringing of the school bells.

 

“Well, it seems that school is out, you may leave now. There’s nothing to keep neither you, nor us here.” Jongin said, dismissing Luhan with a distained glare before he turned on his heels and pulled Ae Jung along with him, toward the emergency exit of the school.

 

  


 


	19. [SeKai] You're Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: SeKai
> 
> Summary: Sehun is getting tired of this underground lifestyle, but a simple walk into a bakery leads to an intersting discovery. He just might keep it.

**You're Mine!**

 

~~**Summary: Sehun has a tireless occupation, but he likes going to the small bakery down the street because the waiter has a cute smile.** ~~

  
**Prompt: Mafia!AU and oblivious Jongin :)**

**Pairing: SeKai**

**Summary: Sehun is getting tired of this underground lifestyle, but a simple walk into a bakery leads to an intersting discovery. He just might keep it.**

**For: KumaNini (kaihun94)**  
**Oh my godd ?? Why did u stop ???**  
**You're taking request ? Can I have a mafia boss sehun with jongin as his lover not knowing sehun's job or anything sekai ! XD**

 

**Sorry this took so long! I tried my best, but it might not be too good... >.<"**

 

 

 

  
Sehun sighed as he rubbed the aching muscles at the base of his neck. He felt as if he had aged ten years in a single day, and it wasn't a good feeling.

"Hey kid, we're done for the day. You may leave now." Suho, the small man who calls himself Sehun's savior, said with a snap of his fingers. The gesture was a clear dismissal and Sehun bowed as he made his way out of the barren room. He felt relief leaving early, mainly because within the concrete walls, things happened that usually stayed with Sehun and either gave him nightmares or left him unsettled and irritated for a day.

The outside evening air was cool on his bare arms and Sehun vaguely recalled rolling up the sleeves of his plain white shirt before he did Suho's dirty work for him.

Digging around in the pocket of his suit pants, Sehun pulled out a pack of cigarettes and quickly retrieved one stick and lit it before putting the rest away again. The night was beginning to creep in as the sun's rays fadded from the streets and Sehun wondered if there'd ever be a day where he'd go home around this time, from a job with normal hours to see a small replica of himself running around and a pretty face to greet him with a sweet kiss at the door.

The image was so domestic that Sehun snorted and almost choked on the smoke he was inhaling. _'Right, the day I become a family man is the day I die,'_ He thought sarcastically, dropping the half lit cigarette and smashing it under foot before putting his hands in his pocket and walking away from the abandoned building that the Crimson X used for its more unsavory deals.

Sehun was not what anyone would imagine existed outside of Hollywood movies and depraved places. But Sehun was once a desperate youth who had a knack for surviving and fighting, thus when Suho found him and took him under his wing, Sehun was more than glad to lay down his life for the man who had saved it. At the time, it was a small price to pay.

Now nearly seven years later, Sehun was growing weary, there were times that his sentimental mind conjured up fantasies of living in peace, never having to jump at the sound of his name and never having to harm another person for his own selfish gain.

However, it was clear that there was no way that was going to happen. Suho needed him now more than ever, especially since the Lòng Yín group was in Korea and causing trouble.

Sehun shook away all his troubles and attempted to clear his mind. He just followed orders, he'd let Suho deal with the petty details of the job.

Walking back home from the warehouse was always a little therapeutic, and Sehun found himself taking in the sights of the streets. There were a few pretty houses, painted colors that ranged from cheery to classic and plain. A few kids ran around here and there, dogs barked in the distance and a lot of old family run stores and pawn shops popped up on the corner of every street. This neighborhood had seen its days of wear and tear and Sehun wouldn't necessarily argue with anyone if they were to describe it as decrepit.

A flash of pink Roman letters caught Sehun's eyes and he stopped. This was new, a little bakery with clean windows and neat displays of elaborate cakes and desserts. There were a few tables in the place and while it wasn't crowded, it wasn't as empty as some of the ramyun shops down the street.

 _'When the hell did this get here?_ ' Sehun finally thought in confusion, squinting at the sign of the shop and cursing whoever decided to forgo Hangul. He didn't exactly pay attention in school, English being the last thing on his mind as he hunted for food and tried to find a warm place to sleep.

Mystified and a little irritated that the neighborhood was changing, Sehun stomped his way inside and opened the door, the faint ringing of bells reaching his ears with the action.

Immediately Sehun was hit with the smell of honey and apples, with a hint of something a bit spicy thrown in and the fighter found his mouth watering. He could only dream of what the dessert making that smell tasted like.

The front counter was empty, but some clattering from the kitchen had Sehun walking up to the cash register with wide eyes. The front counter had a lot of cake stands with pretty cupcakes and cookies, brownies, and more cakes placed on top, covered with etched glass domes and looking better than anything Sehun had ever seen. At least in terms of food, he wasn't a person who indulged in sweet things but all the goods in the bakery had him wanting to eat until he popped.

"I'll be there in just a minute!" A sweet, melodic voice called from the back and Sehun was startled out of his food fantasy and brought back to the moment. Right. He was here to demand an explanation for the cake shop, and not to ogle the food as if it were diamonds and gold.

Shaking away his useless thoughts, Sehun settled for leaning against the counter, drumming his fingers by a cake stand in an effort not to dip his finger into the chocolate mousse frosting.

"Alright," The voice muttered again and Sehun heard footsteps before he saw someone walk in. They were male, tall but shorter than him, with thick black hair and slightly over grown bangs that covered his face from view as he looked down and dusted his hands on his ruffled black apron.

So far not impressed, Sehun went back to staring at the tempting chocolate cake. It was iced in an elaborate way, but Sehun really couldn't appreciate the artistry behind the decoration when all he wanted to do was devour it like a starved wolf.

"H-hello, welcome to Something Sweet." The boy stuttered and Sehun gave a half hearted grunt in response.

He could feel the other person's eyes on him, so with a controlled sigh, Sehun looked up-

And froze.

Sehun could honestly say that he'd never seen anyone as beautiful in his entire lifetime. The boy had pretty brown eyes, almond shaped and adorable when they disappeared into a friendly crescent eye smile. His hair was a healthy black, shinier than Sehun's mirror and yet so soft looking. His name tag read _Jongin_ and Sehun liked the way his glowy caramel toned skin looked when under the lights of the bakery, the way his cherry colored lips turned up into a shy grin, and his voice. It was lilting and velvety soft, something that Sehun never knew he recognized from his dreams.

Jongin was perfect.

"Sir?" Jongin asked, tilting his head and biting his lower lip in worry. He looked so concerned that Sehun felt his face growing warm.

Absolutely unused to the feeling, Sehun made a strangled noise and attempted to get his mind back from the scrambled mess Jongin had rendered it with his earlier smile.

"Y-yes?" He managed to croak out and Jongin blinked at him, the action looking like a graceful fluttering of butterfly wings. That comparison had Sehun almost gagging at his own idiocy, he was a respected mafia enforcer! He didn't think poetic things about pretty boys and he didn't feel embarrassed and warm, _ever_.

"Excuse me, uhm, are you going to o-order?" Jongin asked and Sehun found himself getting lost in Jongin's eyes and staring.

Flustered Jongin was cute, he turned red under the scrutiny of Sehun's gaze and out of nervousness, he began reciting the menu of the bakery, stuttering every other word. That had Sehun finally snapping into himself, his mind coming back to him as he smirked at Jongin and leaned over the counter.

"Do you have any chocolates the color of your eyes?" Sehun asked in a low drawl, taking in the way Jongin stopped talking and twisted his hands in the front of his apron.

"A-ah, n-no I don't..." He stuttered, his blush now taking on a red rose tone and spreading down to the barest hint of his neck under his collared shirt.

Sehun made a sound of disappointment, leaning back and giving the cute boy a chance to gather himself. "Such a shame, your eyes are pretty, I'm sure the chocolates would sell out fast."

"I-I, uhm, thank you?" Jongin managed to say, looking as if he were berating himself for his reply when Sehun let out an amused chuckle.

He seemed to wait for Sehun to say more, but the taller male merely kept a lazy smirk on his face as he took up space at the front counter and gazed at Jongin as if he had all the time in the world to study his features and memorize them.

Huffing, Jongin narrowed his eyes at Sehun and looked around the now empty shop. "Are you going to order anything? I'm busy."

Sehun raised an eyebrow, but he didn't move from his spot. "Fine, hit me with a surprise."

Jongin's eyes widened like he wasn't expecting that answer, as Sehun himself wasn't. But the baker soon furrowed his eyebrows and chewed on his lip again, releasing it and making it look shiny and redder than rouge apples. Humming, he shot Sehun a considering look before nodding to himself. "Okay, I think I have something you'll like."

And without another word, he dissappeared into the kitchen, making Sehun blink and wonder how the cute blushing and stuttering mess from before turned into the confident cook who didn't give Sehun so much as a second glance.

 _'Well, seems the puppy has teeth,_ ' Sehun thought a little wryly, even as he shifted in place, prepared to wait for as long as Jongin needed. It was surprisingly easy to do, since all Sehun did was look around the shop.

There were large bay windows lining the front door on either side, though half of it was blocked by cake displays. Tiny white fluer de lis iron wrought chairs were tucked into lace clothed tables. The entire place looked like one of those high end little cafés his boss was always indulging in on the nicer side of town. But those places were usually run by a bored housewife with too much time and money on their hands. Jongin's shop looked as if every square inch of the shop were carefully and lovingly put together.

"Sir, would you like to sit somewhere while I serve you?" Jongin asked and the sound of his voice wasn't jarring, much to Sehun's surprise.

  
Turning his attention back to the counter, the mafia enforcer was met with the sight of the pretty male holding a plain tray in both hands. The plate placed in the middle of the tray was covered with a painted ceramic pot covered in decals of spring flowers. A fluted little teacup and matching saucer were also on the tray, and Sehun wasn't too surprised to see that a purple flower was floating in the steaming tea. If the plating was this cute, he had a feeling the desert would be much more elaborate.

"Call me Sehun." Sehun finally settled for saying once he realized Jongin was still waiting on an answer.

"What?" Jongin asked, clearly taken aback by the seemingly random request.

Smiling at the sight of widened brown eyes, Sehun walked to an obscure table placed in the corner of the cafe, right next to the cash register and the front counter. "I hate being called Sir, I'm not that old yet." Sehun replied.

"O-oh." Jongin stuttered out in understanding as he rushed to catch up to Sehun. The tray rattled a little when it was placed in front of the strange customer, but Jongin quickly gathered himself and only stuttered once as he began rattling off the items he had chosen for Sehun.

"T-this is a chamomile tea, infused with honey and lavender. A lavender stalk is placed in there as well, and it _is_ edible." With the emphasis placed on the word Sehun had to hold back an amused chuckle, he wondered how many people asked if the plant was poisonous or just for decoration. "And this," Jongin then gestured to the covered plate before he took the liberty of lifting the ceramic dome off the top.

Underneath it was a slice of what Sehun guessed to be pie. However, it was covered in what looked like marshmallow fluff with a layer of yellow...gel?

"This is my best recipe, lemon meringue pie." Jongin finished with a flourish, looking proud of himself even as Sehun stared at the slice of pie.

Picking up a fork, Sehun poked the top layer of fluff, only slightly surprised that the sticky stuff gave a little. "I think it's burnt." He blurted out, eyeing the golden brown peaks of the white fluff.

Jongin gasped and when Sehun glanced up, all he saw was a pouty looking scowl and narrowed eyes. "How dare you!? I would _never_ burn my food!" He said, sounding affronted and as offended as a puppy denied a walk.

Sehun blinked in response, "Uh, sorry?"

Sighing, Jongin shook his head before he grabbed the fork from Sehun's slackened fingers. "Good, you should never insult my food again." Jongin replied as he used the fork to slice a bite sized piece of the pie. He then turned to Sehun and shoved the bite of pie into his mouth, effectively feeding him like a child.

Usually, Sehun would have lost his temper by now or spit out the pie, but the burst of flavor in his mouth, coating his tongue and assaulting his tastebuds had him rumbling in content. The pie was euphoric, the lemon was sweet and tangy at the same time and the fluff on top of it added a light airy texture to the entire dessert.

In short, it was heaven on a plate.

In no time at all, Sehun had finished the single bite and was now looking at Jongin expectantly, pointing to his open mouth and saying " _Ahh~!"_ like an expectant child.

At first, Jongin seemed startled by the action, then he giggled and broke off another piece of pie before feeding it to a demanding Sehun. "It's good isn't it?"

Sehun nodded, and once Jongin had finished feeding him the rest of the pie, he wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and abruptly stood up. Startled, Jongin dropped the fork into the empty plate when Sehun grabbed both his hands and clasped them in his larger, more calloused palms.

"S-Sehun, what-?"

"Marry me." Sehun interrpted, looking for all the world sincere and entirely enraptured as he stared into Jongin's eyes.

Shocked, Jongin's mouth fell open in shock. "What!? _No_!!" He exclaimed in a flustered panic, a prominent dusting of red appearing across his cheekbones and the top of his nose. "W-we _just_ met thirty minutes ago!!" He managed to tug his hands out of Sehun's grip, however that didn't stop the taller male from caging him against the table with both palms laid flat on either side of his hips.

"You can deny me now," Sehun smirked and leaned closer to Jongin to croon softly in his ear, delighting in the little shiver that Jongin have in response. "But you're _mine_." The baker blinked up at him and his wide eyes seemed to catch the light, trapping it within his irises and twinkling like stars on a dark canvas. 

Sehun had made a good choice.

Happy now that he made his intentions clear, Sehun stole a light peck from Jongin's soft lips before backing away. The innocent male gasped and blushed an even darker red, frozen in place and too flustered to do more than watch Sehun leave the café with a confident smirk and a wink, a promise to be back tomorrow shouted out behind the closing door.

 

 

 

 

"What...just happened?" 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol, one down, one more to go :)
> 
>  
> 
> BTW Is anyone interested in reading a SeKai college AU I wrote? It's an unfinished gift and only available through invitation on AFF. Let me know if you wanna read AND comment! ^.^
> 
> 8/7/2018: this fic is done! https://archiveofourown.org/works/11533728/chapters/25893354


	20. [Various] All Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title: All Man
> 
> Pairing: BaeKai, MinKai, KaiSoo, LuKai
> 
> Summary: Jongin is a hybrid that Baekhyun wants to adopt. Unfortunately short and shorter, Minseok, Kyungsoo, and Luhan want to as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize in advance, this indulgent crap from a year ago ^.^'

 

**Title: All Man**

**Pairing: BaeKai, MinKai, KaiSoo, LuKai**

**Summary: Jongin is a hybrid that Baekhyun wants to adopt. Unfortunately short and shorter, Minseok, Kyungsoo, and Luhan want to as well.**

**Notes: I found this on my old tablet...I wrote it a year ago and since I wrote too much sekai (Tall guys, omg) I decided to post this rare gem >.<**

**Warnings: catboys, cutejongin, rivalry, Baekhyun has Bae in his name**

 

 

"What the hell are you doing here Do?" Baekhyun hissed from behind the large inconspicuous plastic menu held in front of his face.

Seated in the booth behind him was a man with pale skin, large eyes, and shapely red lips. He was Satan incarnate, or as he was known at the moment, Do Kyungsoo.

"I have just as much right to be here as any paying customer of Eden." The devil replied and Baekhyun felt his hands tighten on the menu he was holding, the plastic covered paper nearly crinkling and folding into a paper ball.

The Garden of Eden (Hella cheesy name if you asked Baekhyun) was a progressive cafe that had an all hybrid staff, all of whom were beautiful in their own right. But what made it popular was the fact that any hybrid working in the place was up for adoption, and to sweeten the deal, each hybrid worker was cutely dressed in a standard butler/maid uniform and a flower crown. The flowers had a different meaning and some hybrids even changed the crown depending on their mood. It was a cute and well played concept, but the problem with the place was the fact that every hybrid was free to choose their own owner. And Byun Baekhyun, the former King-Ka of his high school for four years straight, was having trouble winning the affection of the most oblivious hybrid on the planet. In short, this would have been so much easier if he found Jongin at some random shelter and adopted him before the Hellish Trinity ever laid their beady eyes on his glorious  ~~ass~~  form.

"Like hell you do! You know you don't stand a damn chance against me _shorty_ ," Baekhyun replied and he could feel Kyungsoo freeze and begin inwardly seething at the insult. Baekhyun wasn't a particularly tall man himself, but he was at least able to ride the roller coasters appropriate for his age at Lotte World.

"What did you say to me Byun!?" Kyungsoo growled and Baekhyun smirked in triumph. The key to getting under Satansoo's skin was to insult his height, something he learned throughout his years of spending time with the annoying barnacle since he was in elementary school.

"I think you heard me perfectly, kid." Baekhyun said condescendingly, throwing in the barb about age as well because they both knew a certain kitty who had a thing for older men. Unfortunately he also had a tendency to fumble and blush when ever a tall customer came up and blatantly flirted with him.

"I swear if you dare say anything else-"

"Settle down children, you should know that bickering amongst yourselves solves nothing." A cool voice said and Baekhyun slammed his menu onto the table just in time to see a cutesy guy settle in the seat across from him.

"Who the hell invited you Kim?" Baekhyun demanded, feeling irritation well up within his chest as Minseok picked up his abandoned menu and made himself comfortable at his table.

"Oi Beak-hyun, calm down. We just came to join our dear friends for lunch at this fine establishment, no need for hostility." Baekhyun heard Kyungsoo make an affronted noise and he didn't have to turn around to know that Luhan was sitting at Kyungsoo's booth, similar to the way Minseok was at his.

"Why the hell does shit come in pairs?" Baekhyun complained with a groan. The sole reason he was sitting in Eden on a quiet Monday afternoon instead of the weekend was to avoid the competition. He'd even gone so far as to skip his usual dinner at the cafe on Saturday so that he'd have enough to splurge while the deer, devil, and chipmunk weren't around.

Kyungsoo made a face and Baekhyun could imagine the little frown that made him look like he swallowed Chanyeol's cum, or some other nasty shit like that.

"Byun, that's not how the damn quote goes." He said on his stupid low pitched _melted_ _chocolate_ voice. "It's _trouble_ comes in pairs." Damn writers.

Minseok raised an eyebrow and he pointed to himself. "Are you calling me shit?" He asked and his tiny pink lips formed a small pout, making him look like an incredulous kid who was just informed that his birthday party was canceled. "If so, you're an insolent ass, and for your information, Luhan and I are not a pair."

Luhan piqued up and he sounded as if he agreed with Minseok. "Exactly, we're just two people who happen to have a common interest and who've managed to reach an _understanding_ of sorts."

Kyungsoo snorted. "Shut up, I know you two are fucking and won't admit it, but I sure as hell won't let you drag Jongin into your depraved orgy!" He punctuated his statement with what Baekhyun assumed was a kick under the table because he heard Luhan grunt and curse at Kyungsoo in mandarin.

Minseok hummed and he seemed suspiciously unfazed by Kyungsoo's accusations. "Two is much better than one," He said, and his tone was so sage like that it was at odds with his cute face. Baekhyun almost wanted to slap him on the back of the head for being a disrespectful brat, but he remembered at the last moment that Minseok was probably older than him and Kyungsoo combined. Baekhyun would have been worried about the age advantage, but Minseok was shorter than Kyungsoo and he doubted Jongin even saw Minseok as a man with his baby face and soft voice. The fact that he acted like a kid at times also worked in Baekhyun's favor, among the four of them, he was _definitely_ the most manly.

"And besides, don't they say that one should keep his friends close but his enemies closer?" Minseok added, placing the menu back in the middle of the table and kicking his feet under the table like a five year old while puffing his already chubby cheeks in boredom. If Minseok were long legged, Baekhyun would have bruised shins.

As it were, Baekhyun opened his mouth to make a quip about where philosophy can be shoved, but he was interrupted by a familiar sweet and lilting voice.

"Hello hyung! What are you doing here with Kim-ssi?" A glance up confirmed Baekhyun's suspicions. Jongin, the sleek black kitty in all his innocent and sexy glory was standing before him with a curious glint in his eyes and a playful tilt to his head. A slim circlet made of vines and intertwined poppies and winter berries adorned his head and Baekhyun couldn't help noticing (along with the three perverts sitting near him) that the color of the flowers brought his eyes to Jongin's plump red lips. They were tilted up at the corners in a smile and Baekhyun's heart rate picked when the hybrid licked his lips, a habit that made the ex King-Ka want to kiss him until he was flushed and panting his name. It would probably sound something like-

"Baekhyun hyung? Are you alright?" Jongin asked in genuine concern. A dazed Baekhyun didn't have the capacity to answer, so Jongin leaned forward and pressed his forehead to Baekhyun's. Seeing the hybrid up close, Baekhyun noticed the gold flecks in his brown eyes and the exact color of his thick lashes. " _Hyung_ ," Jongin sighed and Baekhyun could feel his face heat up when the hybrid's breath ghosted over his lips in a teasingly gentle caress. "Your face is so red, do you have a fever?"

Breaking away from a particularly detailed fantasy of just grabbing Jongin and attacking his inviting lips, Baekhyun had just enough time to pull away from the hybrid and clear his throat awkwardly. "Uh, n-no! I just got over being sick this weekend..." He muttered the lie, his eyes averting from Jongin's own round and trusting orbs.

"Aha! So _that's_ why I didn't see you Friday," Jongin chirped triumphantly to himself. Baekhyun saw his black ears twitch and his tail wriggle, the kitty was probably proud of himself for figuring it out, too bad Baekhyun lied to him. "Ah wait, I'm sorry hyung! I didn't mean to make it seem like I was glad you were sick!" Jongin suddenly gasped and Baekhyun blinked in confusion as the hybrid flushed in embarrassment and began rambling. "I-I was just wondering w-where you were and Kyungsoo s-said that I shouldn't worry, but I m-missed you last week hyung!"

If a hive mentality could be achieved, it was in that moment because Baekhyun, Luhan, and Minseok all had the same shock and thought run through their minds at the same time.

_'Kyungsoo!? What happened to Do-ssi!?'_

The referred to Kyungsoo was sitting back in his seat, looking pleased with himself as he spoke up and interrupted the hybrid. "Jonginnie, I would like to order what I had on Saturday."

Jongin turned his attention away from Baekhyun and the male tried to suppress the disappointment he felt well up in his chest. However, he was soon distracted by Jongin, who had begun fidgeting in place, a prominent blush on his face that spread to the smooth expanse of his neck and collarbones, his usual tie missing.

"K-Kyungsoo! That was _supposed_ to be a secret!" He huffed cutely and his sinful lips were pushed into a pout.

"What secret?" Luhan asked, his pretty and usually mischievous features twisted into a scowl. He crossed his arms and he glared at Kyungsoo before he pinned Jongin with a piercing look. "You know it's rude to keep things from your ge ge Jongin-ah." He said and his accent slipped a bit, giving his words a foreign mysterious edge that Baekhyun envied at times.

"A-ah, w-well..." Jongin trailed off uncomfortably, his gaze darting from Kyungsoo to Luhan. "I-It's n-nothing!" Deciding to escape, the hybrid quickly stuttered an excuse and ran off, his tail curled around his waist and his ears flattered to his head, a prominent blush on his cheeks.

"Ugh! Look what you did now Kyungsoo, you chased him away!" Minseok shouted and he didn't hesitate to bundle up his napkin and throw the little wadded ball at the back of Kyungsoo's head.

Baekhyun had to move his head to the left to dodge the projectile and he cheered along with Luhan and Minseok when the napkin ball smacked Kyungsoo in the back of the head.

"Hey watch it!" Kyungsoo shouted angrily as he grabbed the projectile and smashed it in his fist. He whirled on Baekhyun and Minseok with a glare and he threw the napkin on their table.

"He did it," Baekhyun said, leaning back and pointing back at Minseok with an innocent look on his face, as if he wasn't just cackling at Kyungsoo along with Luhan and Minseok.

As expected, Kyungsoo gave Baekhyun a deadpan stare as he leaned toward him and flicked him on the forehead. "You're just as annoying as them Byun."

Luhan, not liking the fact that he was left out, slid into the booth next to Kyungsoo and shoved the smaller male into the corner. "Minseok, we can catch him at the end of his shift if we-"

Kyungsoo shoved Luhan's face away and almost upturned the male and interrupted him. Luhan made an indignant noise he hissed at Kyungsoo who growled back and they delved into a shove war. It was almost funny to see two flower boys fight and wrestle like bears, but Baekhyun slipped out of his booth and discreetly began to creep out of the cafe before Jongin saw him and associated him with the likes of Luhan and Kyungsoo.

"Hey, where are you sneaking off to?" Minseok said from behind Baekhyun, his soft voice loud from his position next to the now frozen Baekhyun. The older male was smiling a little but the pleasant look was lost on Baekhyun who felt his hyung's vice like grip on his arm. "I think we should have a little talk-"

"Oh Jongin!" Baekhyun shouted and Minseok, Luhan, and Kyungsoo whipped their heads in the direction that Baekhyun was pointing. Nothing but a puppy hybrid was standing there and by the time the three males turned to round back on Baekhyun with murder in their eyes, the ex King-Ka was already out the door with a triumphant smirk on his lips.

Today was a failure, but Baekhyun was nothing if not persistent and he already had a plan to get the cute kitty hybrid to fall for him. Baekhyun could almost imagine the looks of shock and outrage on Kyungsoo, Luhan, and Minseok's faces when he adopted the kitty before them.

 

 

 

 


	21. [JongKai] If You Knew...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title: If You Knew...
> 
> Pairing: JongKai (lol Jongin x Himself)
> 
> Summary: Kai has always been close with Jongin. He just feels that they my be a little too close...or not close enough.

 

**Title: If You Knew...**

**Pairing: JongKai (lol Jongin x Himself)**

**Summary: Kai has always been close with Jongin. He just feels that they my be a little too close...or not close enough.**

**Warnings: Twincest! Crushes, denial, fluff, highschool!AU**

**Notes: Okay, I wrote this like a year ago, I just found it again on my tablet. Ummm...JongKai OTP because Bias x Bias? (also, _twincest_ )**

 

 

 

 

"Hey Kai, are you going to the party tonight?" Baekhyun asked, sliding into the seat next to the disgruntled male. "Chanyeol's parents are going out of town for the weekend," He added in an excited tone as he relayed the information.

Kai only lifted his head long enough to glare at Baekhyun before he huffed again and laid back down on his desk, trying to make up for last night's lost sleep. "Baekhyun, shut up!" He grumbled. It wasn't as if he hasn't heard that bit before, whenever Chanyeol's loaded parents went out of town for the weekend, the tall idiot would burst into school Friday morning and shout " _Party at my place!_ "

Baekhyun spitefully smacked the back of Kai's head, "Wake up already! Every time I see you, you're sleeping or you look like you're about to fall to the ground in a heap and sleep. What the hell are you doing at night anyway?" He nearly shouted in Kai's ear and now all thoughts of a nice nap flew out of his head.

"And it's not like you're getting laid anyway, I know you're a pervert who's hung up on this little cutie named Jong-"

Kai's head snapped up and he quickly slapped both of his hands over Baekhyun's gigantic mouth. " _Quiet_!" Kai hissed and Baekhyun's surprised expression morphed into one of smug satisfaction. "Mph Mm Hmm!" He mumbled and Kai felt his brow twitch in irritation because after knowing the pretty faced _air headed_ boy since he was in primary school, Kai knew based on his hidden smirk that he said something along the lines of "I knew it Kai!"

Knowing a person for that long isn't healthy. Especially since as they say practice makes perfect, and Baekhyun has had more than enough practice on reading Kai as well.

Baekhyun soon got tired of gloating and he licked the palm of Kai's hand. Disgusted, Kai immediately moved his hands away from Baekhyun's cesspool of a mouth and furiously began wiping his hand on his jeans. "You're so disgusting! Are you really one year older than me!?"

Baekhyun rested his chin on his hand and propped his elbow up on his desk. "Oh shut it, I've seen you do worse. There's no such thing as a 'ten second' rule Kim Kai." Getting no obvious reaction from Kai, Baekhyun sighed and flicked him on the forehead with his free hand. "You're no fun!" He whined in an annoying voice and Kai resisted the urge to kick his leg under the desk.

"Everyone here knows you just _looovve_ your little brother, but you still act like it's the first time people have heard this when I tease you." Baekhyun continued, oblivious to the glaring teacher looming behind him. "You're such a temperamental donsaeng too, maybe I should dress Jongin up in a tacky leather jacket, muss his hair, and then drag him around school all day. You know what, that'd be awesome, I'll ruin your image and you'll be known as the puppy who's all bark and no bite in school!"

" _Ahem_ ," The stern teacher coughed. Baekhyun froze and Kai had to resist smirking and snickering in the presence of the ex-military teacher Mr. Do. "Mr. Byun, I don't believe this is an hour for socialization. If you hadn't noticed, for the past six months, we have been studying anatomy."

Baekhyun collected himself and he turned to face Mr. Do with a flirtatious tilt of his head and an obvious flutter to his lashes. "But Kyungsoo-ssi, I was talking about a topic related to anatomy. Didn't you know that identical twins may look the same, but have different idiosyncrasies?"

Mr. Do's expression deadened and he adjusted his glasses, Kai could practically feel Baekhyun's eyes ogling his biceps. "Mr. Byun, if you are attempting to divert my attention the way you do with lesser men, then I'd have to ask you leave class and sit in the hall until I have the time to speak to you."

Baekhyun didn't look like he registered Mr. Do's words at all, but he did nod blankly and shuffle out of the room with a dreamy expression on his face. Kai wrinkled his nose in disgust, already knowing that Baekhyun had gathered more 'fantasy material' just from getting scolded by the doe-eyed teacher in the middle of class.

Unfortunately, once the distraction known as Baekhyun left the room, Mr. Do turned to Kai with a frown. "Mr. Kim, I don't make it a point to meddle in my student's home life, but is everything alright out of school? This is the fifth class in a row that you have slept through, if this persists, I'm afraid your grades may suffer."

Kai gave the teacher an easy smile and hoped that it would be enough to get the man to leave him alone. "Ah, nothing's wrong. I've just been adjusting to...a new schedule change, it won't happen again Mr. Do."

The teacher looked skeptical, but he nodded along and he rapped his knuckles on Kai's desk in warning before he made his way back to the front of the class. "See that it doesn't Mr. Kim. I would hate to see you repeat a year as Mr. Byun has." The last part was said in a raised voice and Kai shrunk back into his seat, pretending to not notice Baekhyun peering into the classroom to stare at Mr. Do's ass.

 

-0-

 

"So are you going-"

"To Chanyeol's party? For the last time, no!" Kai interrupted in an irritated tone, feeling the growing urge to smack Baekhyun in the hopes that if he hit hard enough, he'd forget how to talk.

Baekhyun huffed and he kicked the back of Kai's Achilles heel when he made a step. Kai almost tripped and he turned back to give his stupid hyung a deadly glare. "Why the hell are you following me? Don't you have detention with Mr. Do?" He asked, walking faster down the crowded halls. Kai had anatomy with the short tempered man at the end of the day, and he was unfortunately joined by Baekhyun, who Kai assumed failed his semester tests deliberately so that he could see Mr. Do for another year. Kai hoped to leave Baekhyun behind in high school.

"Argh! Don't mention that bastard in my presence!" Baekhyun shouted dramatically, ruffling his hair in faux agony to amp up the sympathy factor.

Kai laughed at Baekhyun and had to stop for a while to double over. "Oh my god, did he assign you to Mrs. Lee again!?" He managed to say in between shoulder wracking guffaws.

"I hope you choke on your laughter." Baekhyun said, his expression turned sour.

Kai wiped the corners of his eyes and he slapped Baekhyun sympathetically on his back, making sure to hit him hard enough to jostle his shoulder foreword. "Better luck next time old boy."

Baekhyun made an affronted noise, but two large hands clasped over his eyes and the petite male immediately grabbed the unknown assailant's wrist then spun and twisted it behind the back of a tall gangly form.

"Ah! I yield, I _yield_!" A deep voice caroused and Baekhyun quickly let go of his newly recognized friend.

"Chanyeol, what the fuck! I told you not to sneak up on me!"

"The hell? You never said that!"

"I did, you probably tripped and forgot again."

"Oh my god, that was _one_ time! So what I forgot to time you when you put that stupid bleach stuff in your hair?"

"So what? _So what_!? My head looked like a haystack for a week straight, you dumb shit!"

The two delved into an argument and Kai rolled his eyes. ' _Stupidity loves company, A.KA. idiocy.'_ He thought to himself as he walked out of the hallway and eventually burst through the double doors leading to freedom.

Now outside, Kai took a moment to appreciate the view. He may have been forced into the is pretentious, blue blood only school, but he had to admit that the view was nice. The courtyard of the school had a sidewalk that framed neatly cut grass and well-tended chrysanthemums. Two rows of blooming pink cherry trees framed the main pathway leading to the gated entrance and though he would deny it till his death, Kai secretly loved the color of the delicate sakura blossoms.

However, his uplifted mood was soon smashed to pieces and buried in a shallow desert grave when he saw two figures waiting by the school gates. One was familiar and Kai would have to be severely oblivious or blind to not recognize his own twin, Jongin. What made him grit his teeth and seethe silently however, was the tall lanky form of the new freshman who recently moved into town. It just so happened that Oh Sehun was also in advanced classes with Jongin and he was in the same after school extracurricular activity, dance.

Walking up to the conversing duo, Kai crossed his arms and raised his voice. "Jongin, its time to go home now, we don't want to be late again."

Jongin looked up at him in surprise and though Kai knew he had the same face, he was still taken away by his sweet and innocent his brother could look at times.

"Kai!" Jongin said in an excited tone, the young male eagerly jumping on his brother and wrapping his arms around his neck in an tight hug that pressed their bodies close together. "I didn't see you _all_ day!" He whined softly and Kai cursed himself for noticing that his brother smelled so sweet, and that he was so warm and _soft_ in his arms.

A faint scoff brought Kai back to his senses and he looked over Jongin's shoulder to see Sehun looking at him with down turned eyebrows.

A spike of satisfaction shot through Kai and he took the opportunity to wrap his arms around Jongin's waist and pull him closer, even going so far as to nuzzle into Jongin's neck while maintaining eye contact with Sehun. "Sorry Jonginnie, I had to run some errands for a teacher during lunch."

Jongin hummed and he shuffled a bit in Kai's hold so that he could send his brother an indignant look that made his already irresistible lips form a pout. "I'm not talking about that, you left me behind this morning! I had to walk to school by myself and I almost ran into a street lamp without you." He huffed and Kai felt a little bad for leaving his little brother behind. However, it was justified because he woke up with Jongin holding onto him, one long leg thrown over his hips and rubbing on something that shouldn't have been there with Jongin in the bed. Usually the twins slept in different rooms, a necessity after hitting puberty, but lately Jongin had been jumping into his bed and Kai wasn't sure that his sanity could handle any more teasing glimpses of plush thighs, golden skin, sleep hooded eyes, and parted pink lips.

Shaking away those thoughts, Kai sent Jongin an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, how about we stop by Tao's for some ice cream on the way home?" He offered and when he was rewarded with Jongin's blinding smile, Kai felt all the stress of the day melt away-

"Okay hyung, let's take Sehunnie too!" The world tilted on its axis and came to a halt for Kai, who blinked as Jongin slipped out this hold and bounded up to the tall freshman's side, linking arms with the boy and leading him in the opposite direction of their usual route home.

"Jongin." He called and the brunette immediately stopped and turned to face Kai with a worried expression on his face. "Kai?" He asked a bit nervously, mentally going through every bad thing he'd done within the last few minutes and trying to figure out how he managed to anger his older brother.

"What's with the informalities? I thought _Sehun_ ," He said the name with barely disguised loathing, "was just a new student you were helping?" ' _So why does he need to come with us, and why the hell are you calling him Sehunnie?_ ' Kai mentally added, looking at Jongin and expecting an answer though he knew his twin was just being his usual friendly and naïve self.

Jongin 's eyes widened and he blushed. "A-ah well Sehunnie and I just bonded over... _common interests_." He said and Kai didn't fail to notice that Jongin wasn't directly meeting his eyes. Kai desperately wanted to break down his brother's defenses and demand an explanation, but the little determined furrow between Jongin's eyebrows and the way he bit his bottom lip all proved that any further questioning would be met with silence.

 _'Ugh, why does fate hate me?_ ' Kai thought with a tired sigh. He scrubbed his face with his hands and groaned. "Fine. Let's go before Yifan whisks away the discount panda."

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pt. 2 anyone?


	22. [TaoKai] Of Gods and Idols

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zitao is the God of War, and he feels his icy temper fall at the mercy of the beloved God of Harvest, Jongin.

 

###  _Of Gods and Idols_

 

**Summary: Zitao is the God of War, and he feels his icy temper fall at the mercy of the beloved God of Harvest, Jongin.**

**Pairing: TaoKai**

**Notes: I needed more Tao, and somehow listening to Big Bang made this 2k idea over 6k words**

 

 

  
Life in the Sunset Palace was beautiful, idle and comfortable. Time was eternally paused in this kingdom, bathing the entire sky in pinks and blues, blended together near the sun, a golden disk on the horizon. This palace was home of the Gods, and was nothing less than grand, nothing less than the dreams of man.

  
And it was also _boring_ as _hell_.

  
“Why in the cursed underworld is everyone so lazy here!?” Zitao, the God of War, destruction, and predator animals complained. He was seated in one of the many manicured gardens, surrounded by nothing but flowering trees, green grasses, tame little streams and tiny bridges to carry one from one pond to another. Colorful peacocks strutted around the garden, tigers roaming around from time to time, pandas sitting in trees, and the occasional phoenix preening.

  
“Zitao, only an uncouth heathen such as yourself would complain about the palace of the Gods.” Jongdae, the God of Mischief, magical animals, and spirits replied with a sigh. He shook his head at Zitao before he dunked a handful of crystalized sugar in his tea.

  
Zitao wrinkled his nose at the amount of sugar, crossing his arms and glowering at Jongdae as he crossed his arms. “You speak as if you are not the only God to be _revoked_ from the Zodiac.”

  
Jongdae’s eyes flashed and he glared at Zitao. “At least I am not the one responsible for nearly wiping out my own followers in a petty war.”

  
“It would not have happened if a _certain_ fool had not decided to play a prank upon the idiot kings of two opposing countries!” Zitao snapped, banging his fist on the table and rattling Jongdae’s teacup and steaming teapot.

  
Mollified, Jongdae cleared his throat and sipped his syrupy tea. “Well, then it is good you have settled for keeping destruction within the small warring territories of the west.”

  
Huffing, the God of War reclined back in his seat, the cushions easily taking his weight. “You should thank Chanyeol for your fortune, had the war not been stopped after one battle, I would have come for you and your precious monkey king.” The threat was followed with a wave of irritation, heated and pressing down on the other God and making him gulp nervously.

  
“N-now now Taozi, this is a treaty protected palace, violence is _not_ condoned.” Jongdae’s voice trembled despite his best efforts to conceal it, though he couldn’t hide a gulp when a tiger dropped from a nearby tree. The predator watched Jongdae with bright amber eyes, matching that of the God of War as it strode toward the duo.

  
“Exactly.” Zitao suddenly exclaimed, sitting up in his place and unconsciously extending a hand to pet the tiger, who curled up at the God’s feet with a purr. “This place is too tame. It is absolutely suffocating. How can anyone stand sitting idle and doing nothing but sip tea and gossip like decrepit _hags!?”_

  
Jongdae eyed the tiger warily, his eyes never leaving the giant kitten even as he answered the God of War. “Everyone loves peace and stability.” When Zitao raised a brow, Jongdae let out a wry chuckle. “Baekhyun has been reaping the benefits of Junmyeon’s work. We can attend one of his celebrations tonight, it will cure you of your dull mood.”

  
Zitao frowned and the tiger glared at Jongdae for disturbing the God. “Petty distractions created by a lowly God of Festivities will not amuse me.” He stated simply, feeling irritation well up within him when Jongdae merely hummed in faux agreement, a nearby peacock cawing not helping matters at all.

  
“You may not wish to attend, however the palace will be absolutely filled with guests. I am not sure you have a choice in the matter.” Jongdae said as he finished his tea and set the empty cup on the table. The painted flowers on the fine porcelain swayed in an invisible breeze and Zitao idly wondered who had the time to paint and charm the dishes.

  
Faint voices could be heard from where the two Gods were sitting and Zitao looked up to see countless serving girls rushing about, their painted white faces and pink lips somehow looking striking and uniform at the same time. They twittered about like chicks, and he noticed most of them were carrying vast trays of food, some so overloaded that they had to balance teapots on their heads.

  
 _‘I should have stayed within the mortal realm for this season,’_ Zitao thought with yet another tired sigh. _‘I will never understand these idle Gods.’_

 

-0-

 

The Sunset Palace was many things, in human folklore it was considered the final resting place for good and honorable souls. However, in truth it was a mere pretty ornament, a place for the Gods to frolic and the few humans ‘ _lucky_ ’ enough to be allowed entrance were made to serve for the remainder of their afterlife. Usually it would take ages since the God of Reincarnation and Rebirth, Yixing, lost the keys to the afterlife frequently. Kyungsoo, the curator of death was not happy with the God and was often seen following Yixing and endlessly complaining about his thoughtlessness.

  
Unfortunately, Baekhyun had thought it fitting to place the God with the shortest temper next to the duo that could never quite manage to keep quiet for longer than ten seconds at a time.

  
“Yixing, you cursed fool, how did you manage to lose the spare as well as the original!? With no new births how am I to sweep humans off the face of the earth?” Kyungsoo growled, looking frustrated before the festivities had even begun.

  
Yixing yawned and sat next to Zitao, invading the taller God’s space and almost falling over in his sleepy daze. “Calm down, there is plenty of space in purgatory for all the humans on earth to occupy comfortably. I am sure that the keys will appear come the time for new births.” The serving girls had already laid out platters of light food, rare fruit cut into delicate flowers and cute animals were plated elegantly and Zitao was sure that one of his beloved tigers was depicted sitting with a bunny. It was unappreciated by the warring God, who was used to eating nothing but the essentials needed to keep up his strength, just as the men praying to him before battle did.

  
Yixing, however, was not one to pass up indulgence and the God quickly blinked away his sleep filled eyes in favor of devouring something that resembled a lotus. Kyungsoo muttered under his breath at the messy manner the God ate in, but he sat next to Yixing anyway and would occasionally nibble on whatever caught his eye.

  
Zitao breathed a sigh in relief. At least for now, the two fools' mouths were occupied with food rather than repetitive, useless chatter.

  
Sooner than he would have liked however, the grand hall began to fill with people, most minor Gods and some human heroes worthy of an invitation. Zitao knew none of their names, however he did watch the human heroes from time to time in interest. Their reactions to being in the presence of Gods was almost laughable, were it not for the fact that they did not recognize him nor pay him any respects, instead they flocked to Junmyeon and thanked him for helping aid their quest for peace.

  
The sight alone of the little God soaking in the praise was almost enough to have Zitao grinding his teeth. Most forgot that despite his temper, he _did_ keep his wars to a minimum and that he _tried_ to reign them in long enough for Junmyeon to send a vassal to negotiate peace. The silver tongued God of Peace was better at words than he was in terms of rank and power, at least when compared to Zitao.

  
“Excuse me, is this seat reserved?” A lulling voice asked and Zitao looked up, ready to snap that he would rather be seated next to the God of Waste when he felt all words and coherent thought leave him.

  
Before him was the God of Harvest and Summer, patron to prey animals and overall a God celebrated and beloved by the most humans out of all of them, including Baekhyun. He went by the name of Jongin, and hearing about his leaf green eyes and seeing them in contrast to honey golden skin was a shock to his system. Words and descriptions could do no justice to the sight of the warm and inviting God, who seemed to glow with an inner light, just as illuminating and soft as rays of sunlight.

  
Jongin titled his head hesitantly to the side and the sight of those green eyes flashing gold for a moment had Zitao catching himself staring. Clearing his now parched throat and licking his lips hesitantly, Zitao tried to gain back some of his innate confidence. “You may seat yourself, no one else is expected.”

  
“Thank you,” Jongin smiled and the sight of such a genuine grin had Zitao unconsciously losing his scowl and relaxing enough to scoot closer to Yixing to make room for the beautiful God. “I arrived later than planned due to a delay in the human realm. Unfortunately it seems the guest of honor had taken my usual seat.” Jongin explained once he was done sitting down. Now that he was so close to him, Zitao could see tiny golden flowers woven into his rich brown hair. The God of War didn’t know whether the sweet and intoxicating scent was emanating from the decorative foliage or from Jongin himself. Either way, it had him reeling and fighting the urge to lean closer to the God of Harvest.

  
Snapping out of his thoughts, Zitao realized that Jongin had gestured to the area Junmyeon was seated, perfectly shaded and comfortable under an eternally blooming persimmon tree. The bright orange flowers were probably due to Jongin’s magic. Despite the small urge within him to destroy the flowers and see them wither, Zitao found himself appreciating the vibrancy of the bright green leaves and attractive flowers.

  
“Forgive me if this is forward,” Jongin suddenly said and Zitao turned all his attention to him. “Are you the God of War and Destruction?” He asked and the color of his eyes shifted to a faint hazel blend of golden browns and vibrant greens.

  
“Have you heard of me?” Zitao asked in surprise.

  
Jongin laughed and the bright sound had the God of War wanting to do something uncharacteristically foolish just to hear it again. If he were as easy to speak to as Baekhyun or even Jongdae-

  
“No, rather than your vague description and stories of your temper, your _attire_ was what caught my attention.” Jongin said simply and the openly amused expression on his face had Zitao glancing down.

  
He was wearing his usual lacquered armor, decorated in strong lines of power and protection, each painted brushstroke alive and moving across his chest. It was something he wore all the time and it was obvious based on the slight fading and scuffs on the shiny surface. An unfamiliar feeling of self-consciousness overwhelmed Zitao and he suddenly wished that he had listened to Jongdae and changed. He could have worn his embroidered silk top and changed his armor for the new plated gold set he was hiding away. It would have been more impressive than his fine spun linen and common breastplate.

  
“I-I had not realized this would be such a ceremonious event.” Zitao stuttered, feeling his cheeks heat up a little. The only times he bothered to take of his armor and dress up was when the God of Time called all the Gods together for the birth of a new era or deity.

  
Noticing his saddened expression, Jongin immediately shook his head while waving his hands vigorously in the air. “Oh no, I did not mean it in a bad way!” His panicked tone was a bit loud and a few other guests turned on their direction. Flushing a nice tint of red, Jongin ducked his head. “I merely meant to say that your attire it unique. I have never seen such pretty regalia up close.”

  
Zitao blinked. Jongin was not trying to shame him, he was just curious about his armor. “You may touch me if you would like.” He blurted out and Jongin’s eyes widened and after a few moments of silence, his face flushed and he looked away.

  
“I-I uhm c-cannot…here-”

  
Snickering reached Zitao’s ears and he turned around to see Jongdae’s feline smirk. “My, I never would have supposed that the God of War was one so _avid_ in his amorous advances.”

  
The meaning of his words seemed to finally catch up to him and Zitao’s usually calm demeanor broke as his face flashed a brilliant red. “NO! I did not mean _intimate touching!”_ He nearly shouted and when people cast him surreptitious glances from the corner of their eyes, he sank down in his seat and wished that he had somewhere to hide. He didn’t mean for his words to sound so _suggestive!_ He merely wanted to tell Jongin that he could touch his armor, since the God had never seen such protective garments up close.

  
Jongdae laughed at his expense, and somehow managed to weasel in between Zitao and Yixing. “It is quite alright Taozi, it is good that you have such virility!”

  
The teasing made Zitao feel embarrassed, but when Jongin giggled at his side, he couldn’t help but feel appeased. He was not prepared at all to deal with the beautiful God, and his burning cheeks and thundering heartbeat were proof of his weakness.

  
“So, how did Baekhyun manage to catch the attention of the ever busy and desirable God of Harvest?” Jongdae asked, breaking Zitao out of his thoughts and his apparent fascination with staring at beautiful gold flowers, silky brown hair, and eyes shifting between green and gold.

  
Jongin fidgeted a little in his seat, a flush on his face as he waived off Jongdae’s words. “I-I am not that busy, nor am I entirely desirable. I just happened to have a lot of time to spend this season.” Jongin explained, and somehow Zitao found that his humbleness and denial of praise was attractive. If it were anyone else brushing off a compliment, Zitao would have thought them coy, but with Jongin… everything he did appeared genuine and innocent.

  
Jongdae hummed in understanding, “It is fitting for a God of Summer to harbor a natural aversion to winter.” Jongdae did have a point, even if Zitao did take a certain liking to winter. However this year was a tumultuous one, and despite the approach of spring and the end of his favorite season, Zitao had chosen to spend his time in the Sunset Palace. It was basically an eternal summer evening here.

  
Jongin smiled a bit sheepishly and his hands began playing with one end of his long brown braid, the entire length of the thick plait was decorated with soft golden flowers and Zitao was captivated with the way they seemed to flutter and bloom under Jongin’s lithe fingers.

  
“I actually have a certain fondness for winter. I was born in the snowy season.” Jongin admitted and Zitao found himself pleasantly surprised. Jongdae seemed shocked at the information, but before he could say anything, his attention was caught by Baekhyun. The God of Festivities had made a spectacle of standing, but Zitao found himself more preoccupied with what he was _wearing_ rather than what he was dedicating the celebration to.

  
Purple silk should _never_ be paired with green and fuchsia robes, but Baekhyun somehow pulled off the combination, and managed to strut around like a resplendent peacock in his vibrant attire. Looking at him was a bit much for Zitao at the moment, so he turned his attention to Jongin.

  
The God was actively paying attention to what Baekhyun was saying, leaving him oblivious to Zitao’s unconcealed appraisal. Aside from his stunning features and pretty golden flowers, Zitao found that Jongin’s clothes were surprisingly understated. All he wore was handspun silk that rivaled the iridescence of pearls and moonstones alike. The white top was painted with swaying branches of cherry blossoms, the pink blooms swaying in an invisible wind and an occasional song bird flittering and swooping along his waist and heart. The simplicity was of course, curtailed by his golden robe, embroidered in chrysanthemums and coordinating beautifully with the flowers in his hair.

  
As if finally feeling the intensity of Zitao’s eyes, Jongin glanced at the God of War and sent him a smile when he realized he was watching him. Zitao froze and felt an undeniable heat wash over his cheeks, but Jongin was already turning back to Baekhyun, who was now taking his seat once more.

  
Feeling cowed at his own behavior, Zitao tried to pay attention to the procession of dancers walking into the middle of the outdoor courtyard. The setting sun was sinking into a slightly deeper twilight, and despite the fact that darkness would never touch the Sunset Palace, floating lanterns were set up at various intervals lining the courtyard. Some lights were even twinkling in the flowering branches of the persimmon trees, effectively giving the entire courtyard a dreamy appearance.

  
The music started slowly, and the dancers fell into place with practiced grace. Zitao wasn’t one for spectacles or leisurely wasting his time, but when the music began and the dancers swayed and twirled about with their long flowing sleeves, and airy linen dresses, he felt himself relaxing.

  
Jongin was practically vibrating with excitement at his side and Zitao found his breath hitching for a moment when he spared the God a look. Jongin’s eyes were an undeniable gold, the spark within them caught the light of the mellow sunset and Zitao had never seen someone with eyes that matched honey before. His smile was brilliant as well and the happiness within it was simply indescribable. It was beautiful and breathtaking all at once and Zitao wondered why he didn’t meet Jongin sooner.

  
 _“Wonderful!”_ Jongin breathed out, clapping along with the rest of the guests when the dance came to an end. Zitao joined in for a moment, but he was easily startled when Jongin tugged on his sleeve eagerly.

  
“Would you like to dance with me?” He asked and Zitao was not prepared for the beautiful God to give him any attention. The force of Jongin’s hopeful grin and sparkling eyes was too much when seen from this proximity.

  
“Yes he would _love_ to!” Jongdae apparently decided to meddle and before Zitao could decline because his dancing was atrocious, the God of Mischief pushed him to stand with Jongin.

  
Jongin didn’t seem to notice Zitao’s reluctance at all, and the God of War found himself warring with his own rapidly beating heart at the observation that Jongin’s hands fit perfectly within his own rough palms. Eventually they reached the middle of the dance floor, among other couples readying themselves for the event. The music was halted for the moment as everyone fell into place and though the dancing had yet to begin, Zitao could already feel the eyes upon him and Jongin. Faint whispers that could almost be mistaken for the wind were heard as well and were it not for the heavenly feeling of Jongin guiding his hands into place at his waist, Zitao would already be back at his table or hiding within his temporary room.

  
As it were, he was struggling to not appear affected by the attention, from both Jongin and the crowd.

  
“ _Are you alright?_ ” Jongin asked in a faint whisper, leaning closer to Zitao until their chests almost touched. His face was twisted in concern, his full lips pulled between white teeth and Zitao found himself gulping nervously and briefly clenching his hands before remembering that they were on Jongin’s waist.

  
“I am fine.” Zitao replied and at the unconvinced look Jongin sent him, he nervously chuckled. “I-I have never danced before… I am unsure of how to _not_ make a fool of myself.”

  
Once he admitted this, Jongin’s expression softened into one of understanding and the sweet smile he directed at Zitao was unusually reassuring. “It is alright, you may follow my lead and not have to know the steps to dance. I will not make a fool out of you.” Jongin replied and though Zitao was used to leading, he felt himself giving in easily and letting Jongin set the pace.

  
When the music started, Jongin began a bit slower than the other couples, and they were always a second away from being swept aside from the pair behind them, but Zitao appreciated the easy pace. Soon enough, after laughing with Jongin when the shorter God tried to raise his hand and let Zitao pass under their joined hands, the God of War took lead.

  
He was always a fast learner, especially when it came to physical activities. Jongin seemed impressed that he learned the steps so easily, but he smiled brilliantly and his eyes sparkled beautifully.

  
“I am beginning to think that you were jesting when you told me that you had never danced.” Jongin teased, his flowers swaying in a slight breeze and bringing out the color of his dusky skin and golden eyes.

  
“I had the fortune of learning from a wonderful dancer.” Zitao chuckled in return as he lifted their joined hands and watched as Jongin gracefully spun under their hands and placed his hand on Zitao’s shoulder once he was righted. Zitao’s hand found its way to Jongin’s waist again and it felt so natural to him, to hold Jongin this close and gaze into his eyes. It almost scared him, to feel this way for a God he had only heard praises of hours ago, and yet there was something about Jongin that Zitao was unable to resist or deny.

  
“I sincerely doubt that a God who plays in the fields is comparable to a ‘wonderful dancer.’” Jongin said with a faint pink tint to his cheeks. He was brushing off Zitao’s compliments, but the God of War was more than happy to offer more.

  
“Alright, you are not a wonderful dancer.” Zitao conceded and at the startled roundness of Jongin’s eyes and the sudden part of his lips, Zitao smiled and leaned closer. “You are a _beautiful_ dancer.”

  
Jongin’s blush deepened to an enticing red, but he covered it with a giggle and a playful swat to Zitao’s arm. “I was deceived, you are not the God of War, you are the God Mischief.” Jongin said, his smile wide and his eyes flashing hazel in his puckishness. “I believe I will call you _Jongdae_ now.”

  
Zitao shook his head and sent Jongdae an overly exaggerated surreptitious glance before grinning at Jongin. “I do not think he would appreciate being compared to such a tall and handsome God. It would be unfair to him.”

  
Jongin’s answering laughter was loud and despite the suspicious eyes of a certain God on them, Zitao felt as if he were on top of the highest mountain, soaring above the clouds, and reaching the stars all at once. Being around the God of Harvest and Summer was entertaining, and despite the ache in his smiling cheeks and the frantic drum of his heart, Zitao would not want to be anywhere else.

 

-0-

 

“You look like a kitten denied milk.” Jongdae said once the first song had ended and Jongin was swept up in endless offers to dance. A few guests had gathered enough courage to ask Zitao for a dance as well, his apparent smile doing wonders for thawing his icy reputation, however he wasn’t interested in wasting time on someone who didn’t have eyes that shifted between the dual colors of hazel.

  
Zitao didn’t bother to pay Jongdae any attention, since his eyes were glued to Jongin’s graceful form, swaying to the music. He was dancing with some minor human hero, who looked as if he were too busy staring at Jongin to pay attention to his fumbling feet.

  
A hand was waved playfully in front of his face and Zitao scowled, slapping the appendage away before finally diverting his attention to Jongdae. “What?” He bit out, feeling the familiar irritation he associated with Jongdae prickle his patience.

  
“Is that the appropriate way to address the one responsible for giving you a wonderful first dance with the most desired God in the heavens?” Jongdae asked, tsking to himself when Zitao growled at him and went back to watching Jongin like a hawk.

  
A passing serving girl dropped off a plate of sweets and tea and Jongdae helped himself to a few of the foods before he got an idea. A smirk played across his features, but he hid it and instead put on a nonchalant expression.

  
“I wonder if half the guests here know that Jongin enjoys moments of solitude. As a concerned friend, it is a shame no one _really_ wishes to see beyond his pretty face.” Jongdae hummed to himself, looking across the courtyard and watching as Jongin accepted another dance from some local village God. The hero was very reluctant to let go, but even the minor Gods outranked him and he eventually handed Jongin’s hand over.

  
Zitao was quiet at his side and Jongdae waited for a few seconds, counting down mentally and smiling when the God of War took the bait.

  
“What exactly… do you know about him?”

  
Dumping some sugar in his tea, Jongdae took his time sipping the sweet liquid and pretending to think over Zitao’s inquiry. “Well, as someone who shares quite a bit of my time with him, I believe the question is ‘What do I _not_ know about him?’”

  
Feeling Zitao’s eyes on him, Jongdae finally let his lips curl into a mischievous grin. “If you want any information, a possible arrangement can be made.”

  
Zitao huffed at his side and Jongdae watched as he sulkily crossed his arms. His eyebrows were furrowed over his amber colored irises and he looked so much like an affronted cat that Jongdae found himself trying not to shake in laughter.

  
“…What would you like?” Zitao finally asked, his curiosity over Jongin finally winning over. He reasoned with himself that Jongin was worth whatever Jongdae could demand.

  
“I would like to have your protection anytime I call your name.” Jongdae replied quickly.

  
“No.” Zitao immediately shook his head. Jongdae had tricked some minor God into falling into a deal of name summoning. The poor thing was called upon every minute because Jongdae wanted something ridiculous. Junmyeon had eventually taken pity on the God and set him free. The palace had no peace from Jongdae’s constant complaints after.

  
“I will _not_ be at your beck and call all hours of the day, however I will respond to _one_ request for protection.” Zitao bargained, feeling satisfied when Jongdae deflated and reluctantly agreed.

  
“Fine, I will use you when the time comes,” Jongdae’s expression was already contemplative and calculating and Zitao fought the urge to take his words back. He could only hope that Chanyeol helped his luck for the year. He didn’t want to get into trouble because of Jongdae.

  
“However, since you have limited me, I will limit you to three questions about our lovely Jongin.” Jongdae added.

  
Zitao nodded, it sounded fair, but he knew that three questions weren’t exactly on par with a stored up favor. Then again, this was Jongin and despite Zitao’s earlier banter, he wasn’t one to socialize on a regular basis. As a result, Zitao could be clumsy with his words and that was not something he wanted to show Jongin. He actually wanted to impress the God the way he did earlier with his swift reflexes. Who knew one had to be dexterous to dance?

  
“Alright, it sounds fair.” Zitao nodded, and he was rewarded with Jongdae’s signature smirk.

  
“Ask away.” Jongdae prompted. The third round of dancing had ended and Jongin as once again caught up in another dance, although the crowd surrounding him after every dance was steadily increasing as the celebration continued on. With no real sense of time changing in the Sunset Palace, Baekhyun’s festivities lasted a notoriously long time. There was a rumor circulating among the gods that he once held a party that lasted for a solid decade before the guests realized that they had to leave.

  
Jongin’s wide smile was muted with this man, who Zitao vaguely recognized as the hero he had spared a dance with before. The man was much less clumsy this time, although Zitao took some satisfaction in the fact that Jongin looked polite. It was an ingrained mannerism within the higher Gods to hide their boredom with feigned interest.

  
“I want to know what makes Jongin _truly_ smile.” Zitao finally said, his words not sounding like a question but being answered by Jongdae nonetheless.

  
Jongdae rested his chin in his hand ticked off five things in his free hand. “He smiles around any animals, children, food, dances, and when he is happy.” He glanced out at the dance floor and chuckled to himself. “I believe you can already differentiate between his polite smile and his happy smile.”

  
Zitao ignored the comment and made a mental note to bring some of his tigers to meet Jongin. He was sure that the God would love to meet the cubs. “What are his likes and dislikes?” Zitao asked.

  
Jongdae raised a brow at him. “That is a double question. Are you trying to be tactful?”

  
Zitao glared at him. “I was not, however since you are not as knowledgeable as you _pretend,_ I want to know his dislikes.”

  
Jongdae gave in, though his eye were a little narrowed at Zitao’s first statement. Jongdae didn’t have to pretend about anything except pranks. “His favorite things, aside from the addition of flowers of course, are the same as the things that make him smile.” Siting up, Jongdae took a sip of his tea. “And his dislikes are narrowed down to two things, famine and war.”

  
Hearing that, Zitao felt his heart drop. War was not a favorite among any of the Gods, even Zitao himself loathed the event. The previous God of War was the opposite, he loved the battlefield and all the bloody hideousness it brought with it. Humanity was hard to understand, they prayed for peace but when disputes began, they easily turned on one another and began praying to Zitao. The young God found himself burdened with their prayers, even if they gave him strength. After all, who was he to choose a side of a war that was not his own and engender the destruction of his subjects?

  
Of course sweet and beautiful Jongin would hate war. And since Zitao was himself, he must harbor at least a little dislike for him as well.

  
Sensing his distress, Jongdae let his grin fade. He was rarely one to be serious, but he was needed. “Jongin may dislike war, but has he once showed you that he does not value your company?” Jongdae asked softly, placing a hand on Zitao’s armor clad shoulder and patting comfortingly.

  
Zitao shook his head in response. “He may be too polite to—”

  
“Jongin is not like that.” Jongdae interrupted, his voice firm and his eyes absolutely sure. It was almost scary to see him so serious and when Zitao smiled hesitantly and told him so, the God smirked and took out his hairpin, brandishing it as a mock sword.

  
“Of course I can be fierce, who do you think I am?” He jabbed the hairpin in Zitao’s side, but the God of War knocked his pathetic weapon aside with a laugh.

  
“Why are you acting so bold? I remember you as the God who cried as a child because he was too scared of the cats roaming the training arena.” Zitao pointed out, laughing harder when Jongdae scowled and pushed his pin back into his high half bun, the rest of his silken black hair being flung over one shoulder haughtily. The action didn’t make his cheeks any less red, and Zitao reveled in the moment, it was rare to make someone as brazen as Jongdae embarrassed.

  
“A full grown tiger is larger than any child, humans are sensible enough to fear them.”

  
Zitao shook his head. “Humans are susceptible to Kyungsoo, of course they have a reason to fear the cats.”

  
“Why are you referring to them as if they were _kittens!?_ Do you realize the _danger_ of a tiger at all!?” Jongdae looked a little offended and horrified at the same time. Ever since a domesticated kitten had given him a scratch, he had been scared of all cats, tigers bearing the brunt of it. Zitao did not see the need for such a phobia, especially since Jongdae had never so much as _touched_ a tiger in his life.

  
Eventually their laughter faded and they fell into a companionable silence. Another song ended and Jongin somehow managed to dodge all his potential dance partners in favor of taking refuge with Zitao and Jongdae.

  
“Zitao, the next time you leave, please take me with you.” Jongin gasped once he was slumped next to the God of War. His face was flushed from dancing, and although he was complaining a bit about being tired, his eyes sparked energetically. A few locks of hair fell out of his braid and were now framing his face, the golden flowers still in place but now furled closed a bit. He still managed to look beautiful and Zitao found himself unconsciously smiling when the God scrunched his nose and removed his golden robe and fanned himself with his hand.

  
He caught Zitao looking at him and his hand slowed a little, a sheepish expression crossing his features. “I have not had time to dance as often as I used to. I must not be used to such strenuous activity.” Jongin explained.

  
 _“Strenuous_ activity. Zitao must know a lot about it, he visits the human world often enough.” Jongdae said, grinning at Zitao when the God sent him a startled look. “Maybe he has a few half—”

  
“I do _not!”_ Zitao refuted immediately, his cheeks flaring red in embarrassment when Jongdae cackled and Jongin giggled in response. He knew he shouldn’t have teased Jongdae earlier.

  
A servant came by and offered them some fresh tea, Jongdae pounced on the opportunity to demand more sugar while Jongin graciously accepted a cup. Zitao watched him take a sip, wondering how someone with a tiger prowling on their tea cup could look so sweet.

  
“Has anyone the time?” Jongin asked once he was done, his eye drifting from Jongdae to Zitao.

  
Jongdae shrugged and asked for some rice wine when the serving girl came back with sugar. “Ask Zitao, he spends enough time in the human realm to sleep during the day and roam at night.” Jongdae replied absently, already pouring himself a drink. Zitao didn’t have the patience to explain time to Jongdae again, the God only ever stayed at the Sunset Palace so the thought of the sun moving during the day and disappearing at night would only serve to confuse him.

  
Jongin had an amused glint to his green eyes, but he opted to ask Zitao the time. The God of War was all too eager to grab his sash and retrieve his gift from the God of Time. The old man was the unofficial ruler of the gods, and the device was given to Zitao after his first successful non-casualty war.

  
The device was able to tell time, and it was a curious little thing made out of gold, crystal, metal, and glass. Jongin’s eyes lit up in curiosity even as his head titled to get a better look at it.

  
“What is this?” Jongin asked once Zitao had finished reading the time off to him. He looked absolutely awed and Zitao was proud that he was the first one to show Jongin such a wonder.

  
“It is called a _‘pocket watch.’_ It was given to me as a gift and it is able to tell the time in the human realm.” Zitao replied. The watch was attached to a delicate chain of gold, the face was made of glass, and inside were tiny rods of gold that moved. A longer one moved slowly to tell the hour and the two smaller ones moved for seconds and minutes. A dial in the middle of the watch face progressively moved between a fine carving of the sun and moon to tell the day and night as well.

  
“It looks like the pocket watch the God of Time has in the main hall.” Jongin breathed in awe, referring to the large clock hung on the wall behind the old man’s favorite chair.

  
“Would you like to hold it?” Zitao asked and Jongin bit his plush lower lip in contemplation. “It does not break easily,” Zitao promised. He had taken it to some excursions in the human realm and things had not always gone smoothly.

  
Assured, Jongin took the watch from him and held it delicately in his slim hands. Zitao watched as Jongin curiously tilted it every way, even looking at the back and tracing the tiger etched into the gold backing. The pocket watch was fine, and Jongin eventually handed it back with a smile on his lips.

  
“I must leave now, but that was wonderful. Thank you for sharing it with me, and for indulging me in a dance.” Jongin said, standing up as the song changed and more dancers shifted across the floor. Jongdae wasn’t too far gone in his drink to bid Jongin goodbye.

  
In contrast, Zitao did not want to see the summer God leave so soon, and before he could think much about what he was doing, he had grabbed onto Jongin’s wrist.

  
The God of Harvest and Summer, patron to prey animals, and the most beloved God in the heavens, Jongin was looking at him.

  
Zitao gulped and tightened his hold on his precious watch, gathering the courage to place it in Jongin’s hand.

  
“W-would you allow me to court you?” He asked, meeting Jongin’s eyes and watching as they changed from a surprised emerald, to a soft blend of honey gold and pale jade. Zitao’s heart was ready to thump out of his chest, but he was sure that he wanted a courtship, and the hopeful marriage that followed.

  
Jongin stayed silent for a moment, then his fingers tightened around the watch and his lips stretched into a breathtaking smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners and the gold taking on a glow. His cheeks were an enticing red and Zitao couldn’t take his eyes of his form, gold flowers, messy plait, and painted iridescent silk.

  
“Yes Zitao,” Jongin replied and it was as if the God of War had heard the most delightful and perfect two words in life.

  
Jongdae suddenly pushed him out of his seat and once Zitao gained his footing, he happily gathered Jongin in his arms and buried his face in his neck. The tantalizing scent of his skin made his heart pound and his stomach swoop, and Zitao’s cheeks were aching from how much he had smiled. Jongin reciprocated the embrace, his arms winding comfortably around Zitao’s shoulders and his head nestling perfectly under the taller God’s chin.

 

“Thank you, Jongin, _God of my Heart_.”

 

 

 

 

 

 


	23. [KaiSoo] Dongsaeng (Hyeong)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jongin meets someone with a staring problem...

 
    
    
      **Dongsaeng (Hyeong)**
    

**Pairing: KaiSoo**

**Summary: Jongin meets someone with a staring problem...**

**Notes: Watching Kyungsoo's movie (My Annoying Brother) inspired this. I usually only cry at dad animal movies, but goddamn it, Kyungsoo looked manly throughout the whole movie, and his voice. He made me laugh and cry, I think his acting is really good >//<**

**Anyway, I planned to write more, but it just didn't happen. T.T**

**This is months old, and despite its length I hope someone enjoys it :3**

 

 

 

 

  
The first time that Jongin saw the man with the dark eyes and straight stare, was at a club on a weeknight. Having someone stare at him wasn’t something new, attention came to him from both men and women, but the way the man stared at him…it was _different_ to say the least. It had Jongin almost miss a step, faltering at the barest hint of a beat before he regained his composure and started dancing again. 

  
However, every move he made, every tilt of his head, every roll of his hips and shoulders felt weighted with a certain stare and Jongin was undeniably flustered. He kept looking back at the bar, seeing the man still looking at him with eyes darker than the night sky. He was handsome, with his thick straight brows, his shapely lips, dark rounded eyes, and his obvious self-assurance. With the way he was built Jongin had to assume he was an athlete, or at the very least a man who frequented the gym. 

  
The song changed into something even louder than the one played before and Jongin decided to give the man attention, to tease and see what he would do. So when the rhythm of the song kicked up, Jongin fixed his gaze back on the black eyes that had been plaguing him on the dance floor. Surprisingly, the man was not affected, he looked blank and calm, his legs crossed and one arm resting on the bar counter in poised nonchalance. 

  
‘ _Is he not interested after all?’_ Jongin thought in slight confusion, his brows furrowing just a bit before he smoothed out his expression into something he knew was considered sexy. He moved with the beats of the blasting song, making sure to add more sensuous moves and obvious intent to his expressions. If the man was staring so hard, he was obviously at least a little intrigued—

  
A thick set woman with the most unfortunate set of teeth Jongin had ever seen on anyone walked up to the bar, sidling up to the man’s side with what was supposed to be a seductive expression. The mere sight of her had Jongin looking away, back at the handsome man who was still staring from across the bar. However, the man appeared to be less calm, if the obvious bob of his Adam’s apple was anything to go by. Jongin moved to the edge of the dancing crowd, being sure to get a view of the man as he sat at an empty table. 

  
The man was smiling now, and Jongin couldn’t help but notice how nice it looked, especially with the way his lips tilted up endearingly at the corners, as if he were trying to hold back a wide grin. It shaped a unique resemblance of a heart and now Jongin was the one staring, hoping to see a genuine smile on the man’s lips. 

  
However, Jongin’s nice view was interrupted by a headful of limp brown hair and he grimaced in distaste once he realized that the pig from earlier was now tapping the tips of her fingers against the man’s knee, slowly sliding up his thigh. Shuddering, Jongin looked away just in time to see a waiter with a tray full of brightly colored drinks pass by. He flagged the man over and grabbed the largest glass on the tray. He didn’t drink too often, but the week had been stressful for him and he decided to go out in the hopes that a night of alcohol and drinking would purge the need to scream and smash something from his body. 

  
Taking a deep breath and knocking back the glass, Jongin screwed his eyes shut and chugged the first half of his drink. He could barely taste the thing with how fast he gulped it down, and based on the burn it made down the back of his throat, it was for the best. Slamming his glass back on the table and taking a deep breath, Jongin let the alcohol slowly sear its way to the pit of his stomach. It helped him loosen his shoulders and think less of dark eyes. 

  
“Hey! What are you doing!?” Someone shouted, and Jongin only had time to look up curiously, back toward the bar area to see a man in a suit separating the pig from the man with the straightforward eyes. The handsome man’s face was blissed and red lipstick was smeared on the lower half of his face. The sight had Jongin pressing the back of his hand to his mouth to stifle a giggle, it was a funny sight to see something like makeup adorn the man’s serious face. 

  
The older man who separated the desperate woman and the handsome man was yelling something and seemed to be pushing the woman away and Jongin felt his giggles dissipate. The staring man was just kissing _that._ He must have _really_ bad taste, or better yet, he must be blind if he ignored Jongin in favor of entertaining that woman.

  
The woman eventually realized that she was not going to be getting any further with the man that night and she left with a huff. Jongin took another sip of his drink as he watched the older man check on the one staring earlier. Aside from their similar clothing and eyebrows, Jongin didn’t see much of a resemblance, but even from across the club he could see the way the handsome man’s lips shaped the word _hyung._  

  
That night, when Jongin stumbled home and fell asleep, it was not with the memory of dark eyes burrowing into his mind, it was the memory of the hyung grabbing the man’s arm and leading him out of the club, guiding him around people and directing his steps. It was unusual for someone to do that and it wasn’t until he woke up the next day that he realized the man was blind.

 

 

**형**

 

 

“Hello sir, welcome to Yangjagang Pastries!” A young girl with bright eyes and short brown hair chirped from behind her post at the cash register.   
Jongin glanced at the neon colored chalk hung up behind her, everything written in curly Hangeul, the writing almost unbearably cutesy for so early in the morning. Scanning the menu quickly, Jongin settled on what sounded the least sweet out of everything listed on the menu. 

  
“I’ll have one box of macaroons and green tea, please.”

  
The girl nodded as she tapped away at the register screen. She listed the price for his order and pointed out the number on top of his printed receipt before she politely shoed him off to the side to take the order of the coffee desperate person behind him.

   
Sighing and wondering why he was up so early, Jongin scrubbed at his eyes and took a seat by the window. The early dawn was just breaking through the sky, highlighting the few clouds out in pinks and soft baby blues, sprinkled with the barest hints of golden yellow light. The bright sky was pretty and Jongin vaguely considered taking a picture before he heard his number being called. 

  
“Number forty six! And number forty seven! Your orders are ready!”

  
‘ _Wow, that was fast_ ,’ Jongin mused as he stood up and made his way to the counter. The guy behind him must have only ordered one item if it was ready along with Jongin’s order. As Jongin neared the counter, he saw someone with short black hair and a grey hoodie facing away from him. The stranger looked like someone just finishing their morning jog and Jongin made a face, _no one_ should ever be up so early just to go for  a run. Even his pets slept in every day, and they were worse than energizer bunnies when they so much as heard the door handle jiggle.

  
Reaching the counter, Jongin paid no more mind to the man and easily picked up his drink and the box of cookies he planned to cheat on his diet with. However, before his hand could touch the pink paper box with the golden shop logo stamped on it, a rougher hand bumped into his.

  
“Ah, sorry,” A deep voice apologized and Jongin looked up to see a familiar face. It was the man from the club that Jongin was in a few months ago. He was surprised to see that the man was back, his eyes still staring straight ahead and almost appearing to see through Jongin. 

  
Flustered that he remembered the stranger, and that his blind eyes unsettled him, Jongin quickly shook his head. “O-oh no, it’s fine.” He amended, mentally berating himself for letting the barest hint of a stutter enter his tone.

  
The man smiled a bit and Jongin could see the faint outline of the heart he admired all those months ago. “Did you order something sweet as well? I must have mistaken your box for mine.” The man said and without moving his eyes away from Jongin, he let his hand travel just a little to the left of where he bumped into Jongin’s own hand. There was another pink and gold emblazoned box and this time the man picked the right order and let his fingers curl around it before picking it up. 

  
“I’m not too fond of sweets, but the macaroons here are the best.” The man said, reaching into the pocket of his hoody before pulling out what looked like a bundle of slim metal sticks tied together.

  
“I’ll be sure to try them,” Biting his bottom lip to hold back an embarrassed laugh, Jongin picked up his own box of cookies and his drink. “I did order a box and it’d be a shame to waste it all.”

  
The man laughed a little and the sound was nice, deep and rich and more endearing than Jongin’s own high pitched giggles. “What a coincidence, we ordered the same thing.” He pointed out, his eyes still looking straight ahead even as he flicked his thumb against the band holding his metal sticks together. Jongin almost jumped when they made a clacking noise as they unfolded, each end of the metal rods pulling together to make one long cane.

  
“Well, I have to go now,” The man hummed, turning around and deftly sweeping his cane across the linoleum flooring. Jongin voiced a goodbye and the man nodded back in a semblance of a wave because his hands were full. He watched the blind man leave, curiously wondering how someone like him lived. Day to day things that Jongin took for granted would probably be a challenge, but the man handled it easily, as if walking around and doing things on his own even with his disability were easy to him too. 

  
He intrigued Jongin, and it was only ten minutes later when he left the shop that he realized he never got the handsome man’s name.  

 

 

 

 

 

  
 


	24. [LayKai] Lose Control

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jongin is the main choreographer for China’s new star, Lay. Unfortunately, the man seems intent on making Jongin give him after hour lessons, even though he doesn’t need it.

 

### Lose Control

  
Pairing: LayKai

  
Summary: Jongin is the main choreographer for China’s new star, Lay. Unfortunately, the man seems intent on making Jongin give him after hour lessons, even though he doesn’t need it.

  
Notes: ~~Alright, to the other LayKai shipper who commented, it’s kind of embarrassing to admit this, but I forgot where I was going with Unrequited Things, so I made a new one-shot just for you.~~  
 ~~I hope you like it! :)~~

Okay, this is months and months old, but maybe if I post it I'll get back into it :3

 

Also, I CHANGED MY USERNAME!! Lol, I match on AO3 and AFF now >.<

 

(Lmao, yes I was and sometimes still am an anime nerd)

 

 

 

 

 

Jongin found that the evening was his favorite time of day. He supposed it had something to do with the way the day’s frantic activity was slowly lulled to a stop. Then sun was also less bright and the soothing colors it made as it dipped into the horizon always made Jongin want to stop and watch for a while.

  
It was late at night in the rented studio area and Jongin really wanted to go home and flop face first into bed, but his work was demanding and sometimes he really hated being on the choreography team that helped a rising star solidify his fame. Usually, a project requiring him to work with others wouldn’t stress him out, but there was something about this particular man that had Jongin regretting signing his contract for the next six months.

  
“Kai, I think I need some more help with this new move,” Yixing, otherwise known as Lay, said smoothly. When Jongin gave him a disbelieving look, Yixing merely smiled charmingly, an errant dimple appearing in his cheek when he did so.

  
“I really doubt that,” Jongin muttered, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes at Yixing. “You’re a very good dancer.”

  
The older man shrugged, his recently changed red silk shirt rippling with the movement. “I have plenty of room to improve.”

  
Jongin frowned, though he seemed to be oblivious to the way it made his lips look like a pout. “But we’ve gone over this for weeks!”

  
His whiny tone was not lost on Yixing, who smiled and took the chance to draw nearer to Jongin, neatly sidling up to him. “If you’re tired, I could give you a massage,” he offered in a low tone, his eyes darkening as he reached out and briefly brushed Jongin’s fluffy brown bangs out of his eyes. “They say that it’s the best method to treating tired muscles,” He added meaningfully, his eyes darting down to Jongin’s red bitten lips for a fraction of a second.

  
“A-ah, n-no, I’m fine!” Jongin stuttered out in a flustered high tone that made himself flinch. He shuffled away from Yixing and he squeaked out some excuse about needing air before he scurried away.

  
Yixing watched him leave, his eyes transfixed on his long legs and slim waist. He really wanted to spend more time…. _bonding_ with the cute new choreographer, but the other male was _so_ oblivious and shy that it made flirting near impossible.

  
‘ _Aish! What should I do!?_ ’ Yixing lamented, dropping his earlier suave persona and ruffling his black hair while letting out a small whine of frustration. Ever since the younger male had walked into the practice room with a criminally loose shirt and the tightest pair of pants he’d ever seen, Yixing had been caught in a whirlwind of pent up sexual frustration and lingering social awkwardness.

  
“Heh, did cute little Jonginnie manage to escape you again?” Chen asked, sidling up to Yixing and slinging an arm around his shoulders. He bore all his weight with the single arm and Yixing grunted before he glared and shoved the other off.

  
“Don’t you have some work to do?” He asked petulantly, frowning at the man with the kitten smile and the uncanny ability to read him.

  
Chen gave Yixing a greasy smirk and he slapped him on the back roughly. “Relax, I’m on your side. After all, I am no stranger to the woes of a hot-blooded young man, being one myself.”

  
“You could have fooled me,” Yixing muttered and rolled his eyes as he began walking to his dressing room. They still had twenty more minutes left of break time and since Jongin wasn’t around, there was no use for Yixing to waste precious resting time.

  
“Hey, wait!” Chen called after him, unfortunately instead of falling behind, he easily caught up to Yixing and started talking again.

  
“You know, if you just ask, I could help you with your little _problem_ ,” His eyes fell down Yixing’s body in a meaningful way and the star resisted the strange urge to cover up.

  
Instead, Yixing settled for hissing and covering Chen’s mouth, casting a paranoid glance around the empty hallway. “Will you be quiet!? People might get the wrong idea about—”

  
“About how desperate you are for Jongin’s attention?” Chen finished cheekily, having successfully escaped after wriggling way from Yixing.

  
The Chinese star merely made a face at him and whirled to open his dressing room door, intent on slamming the door shut behind himself. However, a foot wedged between the doorframe and the door prevented him from effectively getting rid of Chen. Sighing in resignation, Yixing left the door open as he walked into the room and sat in his chair, the lights framing the mirror in front of him nearly blinding him. That gave him the perfect excuse to close his eyes and attempt to nap.

  
A poke on his cheek had Yixing cracking open an eye and Chen’s mischievous expression came into view. “What?” Yixing asked warily, already knowing that the other man had some terrible scheme in mind.

  
“Oh nothing,” Chen hummed, laughing at Yixing’s affronted expression. Even if the rising start was technically his boss, Chen didn’t feel the need to treat him any differently from anyone else he interacted with. “It’s just that I’ve been talking to Luhan and we agree—”

  
Yixing snorted in disbelief and Chen playfully scowled at him and swatted his head. Chen and Luhan got along as well as oil and water, and if the two stylists weren’t pulling pranks on one another, they were arguing and generally wreaking havoc wherever they went. “As I was saying, we’ve been talking and we both think that you should lay off Jongin.”

  
Yixing’s eyes flew open and he narrowed his eyes at Chen dangerously. “ _What_?” He asked in a low, gruff tone.

  
Chen backpedaled and he flapped his hands uselessly in the air before him. “Wait, wait, wait! I just meant that you should try… being less _Lay_ and just let Jongin come up and approach you instead.” Yixing calmed but he was still eyeing Chen with slight distrust. “You’ve noticed that Jongin is shy, right?” Chen asked and Yixing slowly nodded. “Good, then approach him like you would a bunny, let him come to you before you try anything.”

  
The analogy was strange because Jongin looked more like a sleepy puppy, but Yixing could imagine Jongin as a timid little rabbit. He’d look cute with fluffy pink ears and a little white round tail...

  
Chen snapped his fingers in front of Yixing’s face and called his name, a knowing smirk adorning the corner of his lips in an annoying manner. “Don’t get ahead of yourself now, Jongin still has yet to stay within your company for longer than five minutes outside of work.”

  
Yixing scowled at the fact and he slapped Chen’s hands away. “Fine! I get it, I’ll try your method for a while, but if it doesn’t work, then you have to buy me a round of drinks in the most expensive club I can think of.”

  
“Anything you want, but it won’t be on me,” Chen nodded eagerly and he playfully blew a kiss at Yixing. The Chinese star made an affronted noise and he jumped out of his chair to take cover behind the sofa set in the middle of the room.

  
Laughing, Chen waved in Yixing’s direction before ducking out the door of his dressing room, the echo of his last words ringing in the otherwise silent area, “When it does work, I accept your offer to be best man at the wedding!”

  
Yixing cursed under his breath and tried to get the mental image of Jongin in a tux with a wide smile on his face and a happy glow out of his mind. ‘ _My imagination is way too active._ ’ He thought with a sigh, though if things did go right…he wouldn’t mind revisiting that image.

 

 

-0-

 

 

Ignoring Jongin was easier said than done. After the shooting for the Lose Control MV ended, the staff had went home and Yixing was left behind with Jongin, who had missed the bus in the late hours and was left with no choice but to walk home. Now that in itself was a problem, mostly for Yixing because he was supposed to be leaving Jongin alone, but upon seeing the younger male’s forlorn and pouty face, he caved and offered a ride. Of course, that was what co-workers would do for one another, _right?_

  
So after a few moments of careful deliberation, Jongin had hesitantly nodded and accepted Yixing’s offer. Now the Chinese star was in his expensive car with a stiff Jongin sitting in the passenger’s seat, quietly giving directions every few seconds, sometimes slipping into Korean with how tired he was.

  
It was hopelessly endearing how he would blink sleepily and then murmur in a low tone, occasionally rubbing his eyes in an effort to stay awake in Yixing’s car. As it were, Yixing was now internally panicking, wondering if he should say something or turn up the radio, but then he wouldn’t be able to hear Jongin’s directions and he didn’t know what type of music the younger was into.

  
‘ _Damn, why is this so hard?’_ Yixing thought with a gulp, watching as Jongin’s head leaned against the window and his eyes slipped closed, a soft content sigh falling from his lips.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	25. [Various] Come On Baby, Light My Fire: Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was a messy pentagon? No, a rhombus? Either way, Jongin feels like Sehun doesn’t see him as more than an employer, his ex-husband is still a confusing prick, and the delivery boy and the restaurant’s biggest food critic don’t know when to give up.

 

 **C** OME **O** N **B** ABY, **L** IGHT **M** Y **F** IRE:

_**P** rologue_

  
**S** ummary **:** It was a messy pentagon? No, a rhombus? Either way, Jongin feels like Sehun doesn’t see him as more than an employer, his ex-husband is still a confusing prick, and the delivery boy and the restaurant’s biggest food critic don’t know when to give up.

  
**P** airing **:** ~~EveryonexKai~~ SeKai KrisKai ChanKai KaiSoo

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

  
**F** IVE **Y** EARS **A** GO:

 

 

 

Jongin nervously set a table for two. Everything was already immaculately set in place, the table cloth with the tasteful gold embroidery running down the middle was brought out, along with all the fine China within his home. Even a candle and a fresh arrangement of flowers were placed in the middle of the space and the silverware was just that— _silver_.

  
The clock ticked down endlessly, and within an eternity, the short hand changed from a one to a five and Jongin sighed. He had to physically stop himself from fiddling with anything else he’d already set up on the table, and yet… there was something in the air that made him extra antsy.

  
It was a feeling of something close to foreboding, but it came bearing the ill-feeling of bad luck. And that’s what Jongin was trying to distract himself from, the instinctual perception of misfortune.

  
‘ _He should be here by now…_ ’ Jongin thought, glancing at the clock again. He had everything ready, from the night’s appetizer, entrée, and even the wine to be consumed after desert. Yet, the two important people the entire event was orchestrated for weren’t present.

  
A glance out the tiny kitchen window of the house he lived in with his husband showed that the sun had already set. Biting his lip now, Jongin abandoned his post by the table side and headed into the kitchen. His phone was plugged in next to the blender, the ringer set as high as it could go because he didn’t want to miss any calls that evening.

  
A quick check revealed no new messages and Jongin felt his heartbeat quicken in panic. Did something happen?! If so, how bad could it be to stop his husband and his critic friend from showing up for the dinner they had planned for months? Extreme worry clouded Jongin’s mind and he ignored on one his husband’s pet peeves— being called without sending a text beforehand.

  
The lock screen briefly commanded Jongin’s attention, and distracted him, as it always did. The photo was of him and his husband, the older of the two was squinting at the camera while Jongin was smiling widely, arms wrapped around the man’s neck. His left hand was in clear view and the sparkling ring on it had Jongin glancing down at its real-life counterpart. The diamond still sparkled, but lately it had been looking a little dull on his finger. Maybe he should have listened to his husband, and took a break from the kitchen to take care of himself.

  
The phone began vibrating, startling Jongin with its loud, blaring ringing.

  
**Yifannie♡♡♡** flashed across the screen and Jongin breathed a sigh of relief as he swiped the screen and answered.

  
“Yifan! Where are—”

  
_“Hey, I can’t make it tonight.”_ Yifan interrupted his spouse, making Jongin’s’ heart sink in disappointment.

  
“O-oh. Did something come up?” He finally muttered, trying to mask his hurt. He knew that it was a slim chance, that Yifan was risking himself when it came to vouching for him as a business partner when he was nothing more than a stay at home husband who knew his way around a stove.

  
Yifan made a noncommittal humming noise, _“Yes, something like that. Listen, I have to go. Do not wait up for me.”_

  
Surprised at the abrupt dismissal, Jongin frowned. Some shuffling from the other side of the phone was herd before it went quiet.

  
However, the call wasn’t ended. The numbers counting up the minutes they were spending money on kept growing and Jongin stared at the screen in confusion. Yifan must have assumed he ended the call, because Jongin could hear some muffled voices speaking, along with loud crackling, so he turned up the volume and put it on speaker.

  
_“…re done already?”_

  
_“Yes.”_ The second voice belonged to Yifan and Jongin found himself holding his breath, listening to the other end of the line. His heart was fluttering in his chest and beating against his ribs like a frantic caged bird, and as if luck were on his side, or against him, the static cleared and he could succinctly hear the voices on the other end.

  
_“….did not want to waste time talking. He gets so emotional so easily now.”_

  
_“I still don’t know why the hell you got married. You aren’t the type to settle down at all.”_

  
_“I cannot deny that. But there is something about him—”_

  
_“You mean his ass?”_

  
_“Well I am not going to lie, the sex is always good. Even better now that we live together and are married.”_

  
_“Damn. You got me wanting to go out and find my own bitch now.”_

  
_“Marriage is not all that difficult, he stays at home and cooks and cleans, and spreads his legs when I get back from work.”_

  
_“Sounds like the perfect wife.”_

  
_“You mean slave?”_

 

Jongin couldn’t take anymore and dropped his phone. The device clattered to the floor, the screen shattering and the call coming to an abrupt end, **00:05:36** flashing under the cracked remains of glass. It only took five minutes for Jongin’s heart to be crushed to nothing but a throbbing mess. Warm tears were sliding down his cheeks and he hiccupped around a sob, the noise coming from deep in his chest and doing absolutely nothing to alleviate the agony he could feel welling within his heart.

  
In the midst of all this, his ring sparkled mockingly on his left and hand Jongin couldn’t stand the sight of it. With a scream, he tore the piece of jewelry off his finger and flung it as hard as he could at the wall. It made a slight tinkling noise when it hit the wall, and Jongin relished in the scratches left behind. It hurt less than feeling used, than letting his guard down and believing in something as _childish_ and _stupid_ as happy endings.

  
But that little outburst of anger left Jongin feeling empty, and the sorrow clutched at him again. The worst part of it all was the fact that he believed he could be happy with Yifan, _and_ pursue his dreams at the same time.

  
The diamond separated from the fallen ring and rolled toward Jongin, pathetically bumping into his hand and then falling on its side. Not a single scratch was on the damn rock, and Jongin made a promise to himself at that moment:

  
_‘I’m **never** getting married again.’_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	26. [Various] Come On Baby, Light My Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was a messy pentagon? No, a rhombus? Either way, Jongin feels like Sehun doesn’t see him as more than an employer, his ex-husband is still a confusing prick, and the delivery boy and the restaurant’s biggest food critic don’t know when to give up.

 

 **C** OME **O** N **B** ABY, **L** IGHT **M** Y **F** IRE

  
 **S** ummary **:** It was a messy pentagon? No, a rhombus? Either way, Jongin feels like Sehun doesn’t see him as more than an employer, his ex-husband is still a confusing prick, and the delivery boy and the restaurant’s biggest food critic don’t know when to give up.

  
 **P** airing **:** EveryonexKaiSeKai KrisKai ChanKai KaiSoo

 

* * *

 

 

 

The sounds of the kitchen were loud and raucous. The steam rising from the pans, the sizzle of searing food, the savory smell of spices, it was all home to Jongin.

  
“Jongdae, I need a plate of scallion stuffed bell peppers for table three! Hurry!” Jongin shouted as he finished plating a medium rare steak, smothered with a simple salt and pepper rub and cooked over a grill to achieve perfect parallel scorch marks. All he needed was to garnish and clean the plate and he could send it out to be devoured by a hungry critic.

  
“Yes Chef!” Jongdae replied and Jongin did not need to look in his direction to know that his playful smile had fallen away and was replaced with a serious expression. The man was a reliable Sous Chef, but Jongin liked to pile work on him to see how much it would take for him to crack. So far, he had met every challenge with success and Jongin was proud to call him a trusted member of kitchen staff.

  
“Hyung, we need the special soup of the day for three tables, and a couple of your famous sandwiches. The place is getting packed out front.” Sehun said, nearly relying on half shouting because Jongin was in the midst of ringing a bell, placing the completed steak plate on the counter, and shouting another order to Jongdae and the rest of the line cooks, dishwashers, and preppers.

  
“I got it Sehun, pass this along to table six, the one with that pinched looking penguin betraying his species in an ugly turtle neck.” Jongin finally answered, gesturing to the artful plate of steak as he took out a knife and began washing and dicing more vegetables for the soup of the day.

  
Sehun laughed at Jongin and he picked up the plate, holding it easily in one hand. “I don’t think the head Chef of a small restaurant is supposed to talk about a famous food critic that way.”

  
Jongin didn’t bother looking away from his cutting board as he finished making the perfect rapid cuts and was now sliding the vegetables into some homemade chicken stock he had prepared the night before. “I don’t need to be careful with what I say, Kyungsoo knows that I will make his taste buds orgasm with my food.”

  
Jongdae began hooting as he obnoxiously slammed his palm on top of the silver bell at the front of the counter. “I heard a sex reference! That’s another dollar in the pot Jongin.”

  
“That’s _Chef_ to you,” Jongin said while scowling, still, he put the stock and vegetables to a simmer and jammed his hand in his pocket, shoving all the change he had in Jongdae’s cackling face. “And why the hell do you insist on getting paid in ones, is there something I should know about your private life?”

  
“Oooohhh, a stripper joke. I’d charge you, but you look like you need the money.” Jongdae shot back, the corner of his lips curling up in a smirk as he pocketed Jongin’s change and hustled back into the bowels of the busy kitchen.

  
“If he weren’t so good at his job I’d fire and replace him in a heartbeat.” Jongin huffed, throwing self-measured spices and herbs into the gently bubbling soup, stirring it with a ladle.

  
“Whatever hyung, everyone knows you’re softer than a newborn fuzzy puppy.” Sehun cooed, reaching out with a long limb to ruffle Jongin’s hair, smirking at the way he slapped his hands away with a flustered pink on his cheeks. Once done, Sehun turned on his heel and finally delivered the food to an overeager food critic, who gulped and looked ready to drool at the sight of the still steaming steak.

  
“You know Sehun has a thing for you, right?” Luhan, his usual part-timer asked with a sly look on his face, looking like an all knowing deity as he took in the delicate red blush in full bloom on Jongin’s cheeks.

  
“Shut up, and get back to work old man.” Jongin replied, narrowing his eyes at the baby faced blonde. “I see a stack of dishes that have your name written all over them.”

  
Luhan promptly shut his mouth and scowled, he hated doing dishes and he complained and muttered moodily. “ _Kids these days. No respect at all, acting like they’re your boss_ -”

  
 _“I can hear you.”_ Jongin replied in sharp mandarin, a small smile twitching at the corner of his lips when Luhan groaned in frustration. “And you’re right, I’m not your boss. I’m your owner.”

  
The look on the usually smug blonde’s face was worth every memory speaking mandarin brought up of a certain someone with sharp black eyes, a tall lumbering form, and a roughly smooth voice.

 

* * *

 

  
_“Head Chef of The Wu Firecracker Restaurant is a certifiable genius. His use of complimentary flavors and innovative and fresh plating techniques have more than impressed someone as picky as I, and of all the restaurants I have been to both in the upper and lower Seoul area, this is one place that I stop to visit every time I drop by the very busy night district. And every time, Head Chef Kim Jongin never fails to deliver food better than your mother and grandmother’s own homemade cooking._

  
_For this reason and many more, I am happy to ask:_

_Jongin, will you marry me?_

  
_Food critic and writer extraordinaire,_   
_Do Kyungsoo”_

 

  
Once Luhan had finished reading aloud, everyone a part of the staff began roaring and hooting. Jongin flushed and tried to make an escape back to the kitchen so he could clean up, but Jongdae stopped cat calling in favor of grabbing him and keeping him from leaving by setting him in his lap.

  
“So Jonginnie, is there something going on between you and Do-ssi that I should know about?” Luhan asked.

  
Jongdae faked a nod and a thoughtful hum. “It all makes sense now. The one critic who hates everybody likes Jongin because he’s gettin’ some.”

  
“No he’s not!” Jongin protested, his face feeling hotter than a flame as he tried to wriggle out of his chair. Jongdae merely laughed and hugged him tighter to his chest.

  
“Hey, no harassing the boss after hours.” Sehun called out, looking more amused than anything at the sight of Jongdae’s form nearly disappearing from behind Jongin. He had a rag in hand and was systematically cleaning his way from table to table. If he weren’t held down against his will, Jongin would be joining in or cleaning the already spotless kitchen.

  
“Sehun, have your heard of Jongin’s good fortune?” Luhan asked, ignoring what the waiter said in favor of acting like he was dangling a carrot in front of Sehun’s face.

  
Jongdae fake sniffled and he buried his head in the nape of Jongin’s neck, “My little baby brother is all grown up— _Ow shit_!”

  
Satisfied that his elbow hit home, Jongin turned his head to face Sehun. “Ignore them, they fantasize about stupid things more often than tween girls.”

  
Luhan huffed in offense and crossed his arms. “Excuse you, I am not a girl. I am a manly hunk with a giant—”

  
Everyone in the room scoffed and Luhan pouted, looking like a petulant child. “Woman, you ain’t manly. The last time you watched Hachigo, you cried for an hour after the movie ended.”

  
“Jongin cried too!” Luhan protested.

  
Jongin shook his head in denial. “No I didn’t, I had something in my eyes.”

  
“Right, like anyone believes that.” Jongdae said in an amused tone.

  
“Shut up.” Jongin growled, moving his elbow back threateningly. Jongdae immediately recoiled and gratified, Jongin turned back to Luhan. “And don’t say anything about the review. Kyungsoo was just joking.”

  
Luhan threw his hand up in the air. “Oh my god, you’re so thick headed! A man with a rep like Do-ssi wouldn’t joke around with a proposal printed in one of the _most_ read magazines in Seoul!”

  
“What proposal?” Sehun asked, his eyes almost appearing to narrow at Luhan as he stopped wiping down the tables around the chair circle Luhan and Jongdae had set up in the dining area. Then again, Jongin’s mind must have been playing tricks on him. There was no way Sehun would be disturbed about anything relating to his boss unless it concerned his job.

  
“Oh you know, the usual. Jonginnie got another bomb review and Do-ssi asked him to marry him by printing it in a magazine that has been distributed to everyone who loves food in Korea. North _and_ South.” Luhan replied nonchalantly, inadequately trying to hide his smirk as he picked at the leftover dish food from under his manicured nails.

  
“…What?” Sehun looked so lost that Luhan cooed at him in a soothing tone, trying and failing to pull him into a hug. “Do you mean marriage as in-?”

“I’M NEVER GETTING MARRIED!!”Jongin screeched, making Jongdae flinch and finally release him. Jongin quickly moved away and prepared to dart off into the kitchen, however the chiming of a bell had him pausing and plastering a business simile on his lips as he turned around. “Sorry, we’re closed—”

  
The words were caught in Jongin’s throat and he felt his eyes widen in surprise at the sight of the tall man in the imposing tailor made suit, a silver watch peeking out from under his sleeve. His pitch black hair and eyes made Jongin growl and cross his arms defensively.

  
“Surely the owner of his own restaurant can visit after hours.” The man said with an easy grin tilting up the corners of his mouth, but never quite reaching his eyes, which were focused on Jongin so intently the chef could almost _feel_ his touch. “After all, the name of the place does take after mine.”

  
“Alright Wu, what do you want?” Jongin settled for grumbling.

  
Raising a brow, the man titled his head to the side, his irritating smile never falling off his face. “Jongin dear, how can you be so cold? Call me Yifan or Honey the way you used to, _Love_.”

  
“Mr. Wu please maintain a professional attitude when speaking to me.” Jongin scowled and he glared up at Yifan, gesturing with a single wave for the taller male to follow him to the back. He could feel the curious stares of his employees, but dealing with Yifan was something he didn’t want an audience for.

  
Yifan thankfully didn’t say anything more, though Jongin didn’t see the way his smile dropped to a smirk when he brushed past Sehun, who was stony faced and glaring at the affluent business man in a way that was sharp enough to cut diamonds.

  
The office in The Wu Firecracker Restaurant was relatively small with only enough room for a neat desk, a window, and a chair opposite both ends to seat a guest. Without waiting for Yifan to settle down, Jongin sat in his office chair and pulled out a binder from one of the side desk drawers, speaking efficiently all the while. “I have all the receipts for this month’s electricity, water, and plumbing bills. The employee checks are listed behind the divider labeled pay period, and all the food invoices and different expenses are labeled behind their respective folders. I have done the budgeting and accounting for the restaurant, however—”

  
“I’m not here to discuss business with you.” Yifan interrupted, startling Jongin and making him drop the binder on his desk with a loud thump. Yifan wasn’t bothered in the least, but the smile from earlier was no longer on his face, instead there was an intenseness to his eyes that had Jongin feeling wary. “As you know, I like to stay updated on things related to the restaurant, among the stock market and the other business aspects of things. And _this_ -” Yifan paused and he reached into his suit pocket. He pulled out a magazine with the face of a smiling idol, Seok-Jun or something, and he placed it on the desk in front of Jongin. “-Has caught my attention. Would you care to explain the reason behind such a display of vulgarity?” He didn’t have to flip to the page Luhan was reading with Kyungsoo’s proposal on it for Jongin to understand what he was referring to.

  
However, what Jongin didn’t understand was the reason behind Yifan’s question. So he settled for narrowing his eyes at Yifan, hating the fact that he had to look up at him because Yifan was still taller than him even when sitting down. “What does it matter? The Firecracker has received a satisfactory review.”

  
Yifan frowned and he looked back down at the magazine before he met Jongin’s eyes again. “That part does not concern me, it is the last line that does. You do realize that a statement like this has the power to discredit the credibility of the entire review, Mr. Do is biased and many can claim that he has shown favoritism to the restaurant because of you.”

  
“Me?” Jongin asked incredulously, not quite believing what Yifan was implying, but finding it offensive all the same. “It is because of _me_ that this restaurant is succeeding in the first place! It’s because of _my_ credentials, _my_ skill, _my_ talent, _my_ passion that this place has been so highly regarded. I’m the reason you are making more money than you ever did in Beijing or Vancouver. I earned every five star review I ever received and one simple _joke_ will not change that.”

  
Yifan did not amend his statement or try to placate Jongin, though he did sigh and almost appear to slump in his chair. “Most will not believe that and there are plenty out there looking to tarnish the reputation of this place. You can’t be sure that this will not be affected by it at least a little bit.” Yifan’s voice was laced with something Jongin couldn’t place, however the look in his soot colored eyes was easy to read.

  
“This place is fine, go worry about your money at home.” Jongin settled for saying, letting out a sigh of his own. “And make sure you eat before you sleep.”

  
Yifan smiled at that, a genuine one that lightened his handsome features and shaved years off his face. “Are you worried about me?” He asked playfully, or as playfully as he could dressed in a suit and wearing enough product to keep his thick hair pushed back off his forehead for a week.

  
“I’m not.” Jongin replied quickly, hating the way that the tips of his ears began burning with the lie. He may not be entirely fond of Yifan, but he did care for the other man, they had been through enough to at least be considered something close to friends by now. Even if it took years, time did heal some past wounds.

  
“I do too you know, worry about you.” Yifan said suddenly, his earlier light posture fading as he became serious at the drop of a hat. His emotions were interchanged so quickly, Jongin wondered if it was a side effect of being born near the ocean, as if the constant changing of the water could influence someone to be so unpredictable. “And I also worry that this Mr. Do has a hidden agenda.”

  
Jongin laughed, “You think everyone has an invisible motive.”

  
Seeing Jongin’s wide smile, Yifan’s own mouth twitched up into a boyish grin. “Everyone except you Love.”

  
Jongin’s smile immediately slid off his face and his posture became guarded. “Don’t call me that, Yifan. I’d like to forget the past.”

  
Yifan’s cold expression came back into play, hiding his hurt at the sudden change in demeanor from Jongin. “I cannot let things go that easily.”

  
Jongin softened a little and he reached out to squeeze Yifan’s hand briefly before pulling away. “You should.”

  
Yifan’s hand curled into a fist and a deep frown appeared on his face, nearly sinking in his mouth. “You know I have not signed anything. You still are Wu—”

  
“ _Kim_. I am and always will be a _Kim_.” Jongin replied, standing abruptly and leaving the room. The sound of the door slamming shut had Yifan closing his eyes and sighing as he ran a hand though his hair. Time certainly changes a lot of things, but Jongin had been set in his ways for years now.

 

 

* * *

 

 

  
Starting Saturday morning off was always something that Jongin both dreaded and loved. The weekend, Saturday in particular, always assured a steady stream of hungry customers and sometimes the chaos was enough to make Jongin consider a vacation. However, when his customers left with smiles on their faces and vows to come back, Jongin was reminded of the reason he became a workaholic.

  
However, here he was, waiting outside the back of the restaurant for a delivery of fresh produce and seafood that was supposed to feed the dinner crowd for that day. He had to wait for the truck to arrive and every second he was not in the kitchen left Jongin feeling antsy, he was supposed to have the order of food stocked away now and the beginnings of breakfast simmering away in the kitchen.

  
Tapping his foot impatiently, Jongin wished he still wore a watch on his wrist so he could check the time. ‘ _What the hell is taking so long!? Mr. Park had never been late before!’_ Jongin thought with another wave of stress rolling over him. He hesitantly began turning to go back inside, but the screech of tires on asphalt had him jumping and whirling back around just in time to see a delivery truck decorated with a smiling coconut tree logo and the name **Park and Sons Delivery** speed recklessly up the street and come to a screeching halt mere inches away from Jongin’s stunned face.

  
The driver’s side door of the vehicle popped open and some catchy girl group song came blasting though the car speakers. Jongin could clearly hear every word and he would have wondered how anyone could listen to music that loud, but he was busy backing away from the truck and freaking out over how close he was to being run over.

  
A man with bright red curly hair appeared in front of Jongin with a cap hastily twisted backward on his head. He held a clipboard in hand and he was squinting at it. “Delivery for…Mr. Wu?” He asked, already moving to write a checkmark next to the box with the restaurant name typed next to it.

  
“Actually, it’s Mr. Kim.” Jongin corrected, his tone harsher than he intended it to be. “Where’s Mr. Park? He was never as reckless as you and you’re nearly thirty minutes late.”

  
“Look Kim—” The man heaved a sigh and he looked up, only to pause and blink when he saw Jongin’s face. His eyes widened and he gulped, his Adam’s apple bobbing with the movement. Jongin was too irritated to be as embarrassed as he usually was with staring, so he merely gestured to the clipboard.

  
“Give me that, I’ll sign and you will carry everything inside without charging me an additional fee. Think of it as mere thanks for having a customer as loyal as me.” The man seemed to shake some sense into himself as he handed his clipboard to Jongin, who snatched it out of his hands and used the pen to scrawl his signature quickly.

  
“So, uhm…” The man began, “Sorry about being late. My dad has recently retired and today is my first day on the job.”

  
Jongin handed the clipboard back and he eyed the tall man curiously. “You’re Mr. Park’s son?”

  
The man nodded and his wide smile reminded Jongin of Mr. Park, who was always good natured and had the world’s kindest smile on his face. “Yup, my name’s Chanyeol. I’m twenty-four and I’ll be taking over the family business from now on.” He offered his hand to shake and Jongin hesitantly took it.

  
“I’m Kim Jongin, the Co-Owner, Head Chef, and Manager of The Firecracker Restaurant.” Jongin replied, quickly signing off on the paper and capping the blue pen before he handed it to Chanyeol, the lanky and strange son of Mr. Park. Honestly, Jongin felt a little guilty for not taking the time to ask Mr. Park about himself, until now he had assumed that the Park and Sons Delivery company was just a clever emotional advertising title.

  
Chanyeol smiled and Jongin could see the genuine lilt to the corner of his lips, it reminded him of the kind older man who was never late and managed to deliver perfect produce at the appointed time. However, the effect was ruined when he moved to retrieve the clip board and dropped it in an old puddle.

  
“Aish! Stupid gravity.” Chanyeol muttered in exasperation and he bent to pick up the fallen papers as his face tinted a faint shade of pink. Seeing the ink run from the freshly signed papers had Jongin frowning, but he decided to help Chanyeol by fetching the dropped pen as well.

  
“Here—” Jongin began, only to stop when he looked up with the pen in hand to see Chanyeol simply watching him. “I-Is something wrong?” The chef asked, his stutter coming back out now that he was so close to the delivery man. From this distance, with them both crouched on the ground, he could take in Chanyeol’s warm brown eyes. Paired with his red hair, lightly tanned skin, and surprisingly soft looking petal pink lips, Jongin felt the distant heat of flame and he was sure that his face was flushing an unattractive shade of red again.

  
“If I knew someone as pretty as you were a customer, I would have come home sooner to take over the family business.” Chanyeol said, his smile widening more when Jongin cleared his throat, hastily shoved the pen in his hands and stood up.

  
“W-well, I hope you can live up to your father.” Jongin replied, his tone a little curt. He didn’t take the time to see Chanyeol’s reaction before he turned on his heels and immediately scurried back into the safety of the kitchen, cheeks still flaming from the heat of Chanyeol’s eyes and his compliments.

  
However, the sound of a deep chuckle made Jongin relax, his words weren’t taken too seriously. Sometimes he wondered why he got so flustered by kind words or close contact. But those idle thoughts soon left his mind, his attention and passion once again being consumed by the kitchen for another hectic day.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> any comments and criticisms are greatly appreciated :)


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